Position of a channel occupancy time parameter in a downlink control channel

ABSTRACT

A wireless device receives configuration parameters indicating: a plurality of a channel occupancy time (COT) parameters of a COT of a cell; and a position parameter for the COT of the cell. A downlink control information (DCI) comprising a plurality of fields is received. The position parameter indicates a position of a field, of the plurality of fields. The field indicates a COT parameter, of the plurality of COT parameters. A transport block is transmitted via uplink resources of the COT with the COT parameter.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.16/571,478, filed Sep. 16, 2019, which claims the benefit of U.S.Provisional Application No. 62/731,418, filed Sep. 14, 2018, thecontents of each of which are hereby incorporated by reference in theirentireties.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

Examples of several of the various embodiments of the present disclosureare described herein with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram of an example RAN architecture as per an aspect ofan embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2A is a diagram of an example user plane protocol stack as per anaspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2B is a diagram of an example control plane protocol stack as peran aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of an example wireless device and two base stationsas per an aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4A, FIG. 4B, FIG. 4C and FIG. 4D are example diagrams for uplinkand downlink signal transmission as per an aspect of an embodiment ofthe present disclosure.

FIG. 5A is a diagram of an example uplink channel mapping and exampleuplink physical signals as per an aspect of an embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 5B is a diagram of an example downlink channel mapping and exampledownlink physical signals as per an aspect of an embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a diagram depicting an example frame structure as per anaspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7A and FIG. 7B are diagrams depicting example sets of OFDMsubcarriers as per an aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 8 is a diagram depicting example OFDM radio resources as per anaspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 9A is a diagram depicting an example CSI-RS and/or SS blocktransmission in a multi-beam system.

FIG. 9B is a diagram depicting an example downlink beam managementprocedure as per an aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 10 is an example diagram of configured BWPs as per an aspect of anembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 11A, and FIG. 11B are diagrams of an example multi connectivity asper an aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 12 is a diagram of an example random access procedure as per anaspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 13 is a structure of example MAC entities as per an aspect of anembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 14 is a diagram of an example RAN architecture as per an aspect ofan embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 15 is a diagram of example RRC states as per an aspect of anembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 16 is a diagram of an example Channel Access Priority Class as peran aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 17 is a diagram of an example Listen Before Talk (LBT) as per anaspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 18 is a diagram of an example Maximum Channel Occupancy Time (MCOT)as per an aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 19A is a diagram of an example Slot Format Combination with indexand DCI format with Slot Format Combination as per an aspect of anembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 19B is a diagram of an example MCOT structure determinationprocedure as per an aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 20 is a diagram of an example RRC configuration and DownlinkControl Information Indication as per an aspect of an embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 21A is a diagram of an example transmission for PDCCH with MCOTstructure indication as per an aspect of an embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 21B is a diagram of an example transmission for PDCCH with MCOTstructure indication as per an aspect of an embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 21C is a diagram of an example transmission for PDCCH with MCOTstructure indication as per an aspect of an embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 22A is a diagram of an example Slot Format Combination with indexand DCI format with Slot Format Combination as per an aspect of anembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 22B is a diagram of an example MCOT structure determinationprocedure as per an aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 23A is a diagram of an example Slot Format Combination with indexand Preamble followed by PDCCH CORESET as per an aspect of an embodimentof the present disclosure.

FIG. 23B is a diagram of an example MCOT structure determinationprocedure as per an aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 24 is a flow diagram of an aspect of an example embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 25 is a flow diagram of an aspect of an example embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Example embodiments of the present disclosure enable operation ofchannel access and unlicensed carriers. Embodiments of the technologydisclosed herein may be employed in the technical field of channelaccess and unlicensed carrier systems. More particularly, theembodiments of the technology disclosed herein may relate channel accessfor unlicensed carriers and Maximum Channel Occupancy Time (MCOT)structure with multiple downlink and uplink switch points.

The following Acronyms are used throughout the present disclosure:

3GPP 3rd Generation Partnership Project

5GC 5G Core Network

ACK Acknowledgement

AMF Access and Mobility Management Function

ARQ Automatic Repeat Request

AS Access Stratum

ASIC Application-Specific Integrated Circuit

BA Bandwidth Adaptation

BCCH Broadcast Control Channel

BCH Broadcast Channel

BPSK Binary Phase Shift Keying

BWP Bandwidth Part

CA Carrier Aggregation

CC Component Carrier

CCCH Common Control CHannel

CDMA Code Division Multiple Access

CN Core Network

CP Cyclic Prefix

CP-OFDM Cyclic Prefix-Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex

C-RNTI Cell-Radio Network Temporary Identifier

CS Configured Scheduling

CSI Channel State Information

CSI-RS Channel State Information-Reference Signal

CQI Channel Quality Indicator

CSS Common Search Space

CU Central Unit

DC Dual Connectivity

DCCH Dedicated Control CHannel

DCI Downlink Control Information

DL Downlink

DL-SCH Downlink Shared CHannel

DM-RS DeModulation Reference Signal

DRB Data Radio Bearer

DRX Discontinuous Reception

DTCH Dedicated Traffic CHannel

DU Distributed Unit

EPC Evolved Packet Core

E-UTRA Evolved UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access

E-UTRAN Evolved-Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network

FDD Frequency Division Duplex

FPGA Field Programmable Gate Arrays

F1-C F1-Control plane

F1-U F1-User plane

gNB next generation Node B

HARQ Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest

HDL Hardware Description Languages

IE Information Element

IP Internet Protocol

LCID Logical Channel IDentifier

LTE Long Term Evolution

MAC Media Access Control

MCG Master Cell Group

MCS Modulation and Coding Scheme

MeNB Master evolved Node B

MIB Master Information Block

MME Mobility Management Entity

MN Master Node

NACK Negative Acknowledgement

NAS Non-Access Stratum

NG CP Next Generation Control Plane

NGC Next Generation Core

NG-C NG-Control plane

ng-eNB next generation evolved Node B

NG-U NG-User plane

NR New Radio

NR MAC New Radio MAC

NR PDCP New Radio PDCP

NR PHY New Radio PHYsical

NR RLC New Radio RLC

NR RRC New Radio RRC

NSSAI Network Slice Selection Assistance Information

O&M Operation and Maintenance

OFDM Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing

PBCH Physical Broadcast CHannel

PCC Primary Component Carrier

PCCH Paging Control CHannel

PCell Primary Cell

PCH Paging CHannel

PDCCH Physical Downlink Control CHannel

PDCP Packet Data Convergence Protocol

PDSCH Physical Downlink Shared CHannel

PDU Protocol Data Unit

PHICH Physical HARQ Indicator CHannel

PHY PHYsical

PLMN Public Land Mobile Network

PMI Precoding Matrix Indicator

PRACH Physical Random Access CHannel

PRB Physical Resource Block

PSCell Primary Secondary Cell

PSS Primary Synchronization Signal

pTAG primary Timing Advance Group

PT-RS Phase Tracking Reference Signal

PUCCH Physical Uplink Control CHannel

PUSCH Physical Uplink Shared CHannel

QAM Quadrature Amplitude Modulation

QFI Quality of Service Indicator

QoS Quality of Service

QPSK Quadrature Phase Shift Keying

RA Random Access

RACH Random Access CHannel

RAN Radio Access Network

RAT Radio Access Technology

RA-RNTI Random Access-Radio Network Temporary Identifier

RB Resource Blocks

RBG Resource Block Groups

RI Rank Indicator

RLC Radio Link Control

RRC Radio Resource Control

RS Reference Signal

RSRP Reference Signal Received Power

SCC Secondary Component Carrier

SCell Secondary Cell

SCG Secondary Cell Group

SC-FDMA Single Carrier-Frequency Division Multiple Access

SDAP Service Data Adaptation Protocol

SDU Service Data Unit

SeNB Secondary evolved Node B

S-GW Serving GateWay

SI System Information

SIB System Information Block

SMF Session Management Function

SN Secondary Node

SpCell Special Cell

SRB Signaling Radio Bearer

SRS Sounding Reference Signal

SS Synchronization Signal

SSS Secondary Synchronization Signal

sTAG secondary Timing Advance Group

TA Timing Advance

TAG Timing Advance Group

TAI Tracking Area Identifier

TAT Time Alignment Timer

TB Transport Block

TC-RNTI Temporary Cell-Radio Network Temporary Identifier

TDD Time Division Duplex

TDMA Time Division Multiple Access

TTI Transmission Time Interval

UCI Uplink Control Information

UE User Equipment

UL Uplink

UL-SCH Uplink Shared CHannel

UPF User Plane Function

UPGW User Plane Gateway

VHDL VHSIC Hardware Description Language

Xn-C Xn-Control plane

Xn-U Xn-User plane

Example embodiments of the disclosure may be implemented using variousphysical layer modulation and transmission mechanisms. Exampletransmission mechanisms may include, but are not limited to: CodeDivision Multiple Access (CDMA), Orthogonal Frequency Division MultipleAccess (OFDMA), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Wavelettechnologies, and/or the like. Hybrid transmission mechanisms such asTDMA/CDMA, and OFDM/CDMA may also be employed. Various modulationschemes may be applied for signal transmission in the physical layer.Examples of modulation schemes include, but are not limited to: phase,amplitude, code, a combination of these, and/or the like. An exampleradio transmission method may implement Quadrature Amplitude Modulation(QAM) using Binary Phase Shift Keying (BPSK), Quadrature Phase ShiftKeying (QPSK), 16-QAM, 64-QAM, 256-QAM, and/or the like. Physical radiotransmission may be enhanced by dynamically or semi-dynamically changingthe modulation and coding scheme depending on transmission requirementsand radio conditions.

FIG. 1 is an example Radio Access Network (RAN) architecture as per anaspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure. As illustrated inthis example, a RAN node may be a next generation Node B (gNB) (e.g.120A, 120B) providing New Radio (NR) user plane and control planeprotocol terminations towards a first wireless device (e.g. 110A). In anexample, a RAN node may be a next generation evolved Node B (ng-eNB)(e.g. 124A, 124B), providing Evolved UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access(E-UTRA) user plane and control plane protocol terminations towards asecond wireless device (e.g. 110B). The first wireless device maycommunicate with a gNB over a Uu interface. The second wireless devicemay communicate with a ng-eNB over a Uu interface. In this disclosure,wireless device 110A and 110B are structurally similar to wirelessdevice 110. Base stations 120A and/or 120B may be structurally similarlyto base station 120. Base station 120 may comprise at least one of a gNB(e.g. 122A and/or 122B), ng-eNB (e.g. 124A and/or 124B), and or thelike.

A gNB or an ng-eNB may host functions such as: radio resource managementand scheduling, IP header compression, encryption and integrityprotection of data, selection of Access and Mobility Management Function(AMF) at User Equipment (wireless device) attachment, routing of userplane and control plane data, connection setup and release, schedulingand transmission of paging messages (originated from the AMF),scheduling and transmission of system broadcast information (originatedfrom the AMF or Operation and Maintenance (O&M)), measurement andmeasurement reporting configuration, transport level packet marking inthe uplink, session management, support of network slicing, Quality ofService (QoS) flow management and mapping to data radio bearers, supportof UEs in RRC_INACTIVE state, distribution function for Non-AccessStratum (NAS) messages, RAN sharing, and dual connectivity or tightinterworking between NR and E-UTRA.

In an example, one or more gNBs and/or one or more ng-eNBs may beinterconnected with each other by means of Xn interface. A gNB or anng-eNB may be connected by means of NG interfaces to 5G Core Network(5GC). In an example, 5GC may comprise one or more AMF/User PlanFunction (UPF) functions (e.g. 130A or 130B). A gNB or an ng-eNB may beconnected to a UPF by means of an NG-User plane (NG-U) interface. TheNG-U interface may provide delivery (e.g. non-guaranteed delivery) ofuser plane Protocol Data Units (PDUs) between a RAN node and the UPF. AgNB or an ng-eNB may be connected to an AMF by means of an NG-Controlplane (NG-C) interface. The NG-C interface may provide, for example, NGinterface management, wireless device context management, wirelessdevice mobility management, transport of NAS messages, paging, PDUsession management, configuration transfer and/or warning messagetransmission, combinations thereof, and/or the like.

In an example, a UPF may host functions such as anchor point forintra-/inter-Radio Access Technology (RAT) mobility (when applicable),external PDU session point of interconnect to data network, packetrouting and forwarding, packet inspection and user plane part of policyrule enforcement, traffic usage reporting, uplink classifier to supportrouting traffic flows to a data network, branching point to supportmulti-homed PDU session, QoS handling for user plane, e.g. packetfiltering, gating, Uplink (UL)/Downlink (DL) rate enforcement, uplinktraffic verification (e.g. Service Data Flow (SDF) to QoS flow mapping),downlink packet buffering and/or downlink data notification triggering.

In an example, an AMF may host functions such as NAS signalingtermination, NAS signaling security, Access Stratum (AS) securitycontrol, inter Core Network (CN) node signaling for mobility between3^(rd) Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) access networks, idle modewireless device reachability (e.g., control and execution of pagingretransmission), registration area management, support of intra-systemand inter-system mobility, access authentication, access authorizationincluding check of roaming rights, mobility management control(subscription and policies), support of network slicing and/or SessionManagement Function (SMF) selection.

FIG. 2A is an example user plane protocol stack, where Service DataAdaptation Protocol (SDAP) (e.g. 211 and 221), Packet Data ConvergenceProtocol (PDCP) (e.g. 212 and 222), Radio Link Control (RLC) (e.g. 213and 223) and Media Access Control (MAC) (e.g. 214 and 224) sublayers andPhysical (PHY) (e.g. 215 and 225) layer may be terminated in wirelessdevice (e.g. 110) and gNB (e.g. 120) on the network side. In an example,a PHY layer provides transport services to higher layers (e.g. MAC, RRC,etc.). In an example, services and functions of a MAC sublayer maycomprise mapping between logical channels and transport channels,multiplexing/demultiplexing of MAC Service Data Units (SDUs) belongingto one or different logical channels into/from Transport Blocks (TB s)delivered to/from the PHY layer, scheduling information reporting, errorcorrection through Hybrid Automatic Repeat request (HARQ) (e.g. one HARQentity per carrier in case of Carrier Aggregation (CA)), priorityhandling between UEs by means of dynamic scheduling, priority handlingbetween logical channels of one wireless device by means of logicalchannel prioritization, and/or padding. A MAC entity may support one ormultiple numerologies and/or transmission timings. In an example,mapping restrictions in a logical channel prioritization may controlwhich numerology and/or transmission timing a logical channel may use.In an example, an RLC sublayer may supports transparent mode (TM),unacknowledged mode (UM) and acknowledged mode (AM) transmission modes.The RLC configuration may be per logical channel with no dependency onnumerologies and/or Transmission Time Interval (TTI) durations. In anexample, Automatic Repeat Request (ARQ) may operate on any of thenumerologies and/or TTI durations the logical channel is configuredwith. In an example, services and functions of the PDCP layer for theuser plane may comprise sequence numbering, header compression anddecompression, transfer of user data, reordering and duplicatedetection, PDCP PDU routing (e.g. in case of split bearers),retransmission of PDCP SDUs, ciphering, deciphering and integrityprotection, PDCP SDU discard, PDCP re-establishment and data recoveryfor RLC AM, and/or duplication of PDCP PDUs. In an example, services andfunctions of SDAP may comprise mapping between a QoS flow and a dataradio bearer. In an example, services and functions of SDAP may comprisemapping Quality of Service Indicator (QFI) in DL and UL packets. In anexample, a protocol entity of SDAP may be configured for an individualPDU session.

FIG. 2B is an example control plane protocol stack where PDCP (e.g. 233and 242), RLC (e.g. 234 and 243) and MAC (e.g. 235 and 244) sublayersand PHY (e.g. 236 and 245) layer may be terminated in wireless device(e.g. 110) and gNB (e.g. 120) on a network side and perform service andfunctions described above. In an example, RRC (e.g. 232 and 241) may beterminated in a wireless device and a gNB on a network side. In anexample, services and functions of RRC may comprise broadcast of systeminformation related to AS and NAS, paging initiated by 5GC or RAN,establishment, maintenance and release of an RRC connection between thewireless device and RAN, security functions including key management,establishment, configuration, maintenance and release of Signaling RadioBearers (SRBs) and Data Radio Bearers (DRBs), mobility functions, QoSmanagement functions, wireless device measurement reporting and controlof the reporting, detection of and recovery from radio link failure,and/or NAS message transfer to/from NAS from/to a wireless device. In anexample, NAS control protocol (e.g. 231 and 251) may be terminated inthe wireless device and AMF (e.g. 130) on a network side and may performfunctions such as authentication, mobility management between a wirelessdevice and a AMF for 3GPP access and non-3GPP access, and sessionmanagement between a wireless device and a SMF for 3GPP access andnon-3GPP access.

In an example, a base station may configure a plurality of logicalchannels for a wireless device. A logical channel in the plurality oflogical channels may correspond to a radio bearer and the radio bearermay be associated with a QoS requirement. In an example, a base stationmay configure a logical channel to be mapped to one or moreTTIs/numerologies in a plurality of TTIs/numerologies. The wirelessdevice may receive a Downlink Control Information (DCI) via PhysicalDownlink Control CHannel (PDCCH) indicating an uplink grant. In anexample, the uplink grant may be for a first TTI/numerology and mayindicate uplink resources for transmission of a transport block. Thebase station may configure each logical channel in the plurality oflogical channels with one or more parameters to be used by a logicalchannel prioritization procedure at the MAC layer of the wirelessdevice. The one or more parameters may comprise priority, prioritizedbit rate, etc. A logical channel in the plurality of logical channelsmay correspond to one or more buffers comprising data associated withthe logical channel. The logical channel prioritization procedure mayallocate the uplink resources to one or more first logical channels inthe plurality of logical channels and/or one or more MAC ControlElements (CEs). The one or more first logical channels may be mapped tothe first TTI/numerology. The MAC layer at the wireless device maymultiplex one or more MAC CEs and/or one or more MAC SDUs (e.g., logicalchannel) in a MAC PDU (e.g., transport block). In an example, the MACPDU may comprise a MAC header comprising a plurality of MAC sub-headers.A MAC sub-header in the plurality of MAC sub-headers may correspond to aMAC CE or a MAC SUD (logical channel) in the one or more MAC CEs and/orone or more MAC SDUs. In an example, a MAC CE or a logical channel maybe configured with a Logical Channel IDentifier (LCID). In an example,LCID for a logical channel or a MAC CE may be fixed/pre-configured. Inan example, LCID for a logical channel or MAC CE may be configured forthe wireless device by the base station. The MAC sub-headercorresponding to a MAC CE or a MAC SDU may comprise LCID associated withthe MAC CE or the MAC SDU.

In an example, a base station may activate and/or deactivate and/orimpact one or more processes (e.g., set values of one or more parametersof the one or more processes or start and/or stop one or more timers ofthe one or more processes) at the wireless device by employing one ormore MAC commands. The one or more MAC commands may comprise one or moreMAC control elements. In an example, the one or more processes maycomprise activation and/or deactivation of PDCP packet duplication forone or more radio bearers. The base station may transmit a MAC CEcomprising one or more fields, the values of the fields indicatingactivation and/or deactivation of PDCP duplication for the one or moreradio bearers. In an example, the one or more processes may compriseChannel State Information (CSI) transmission of on one or more cells.The base station may transmit one or more MAC CEs indicating activationand/or deactivation of the CSI transmission on the one or more cells. Inan example, the one or more processes may comprise activation ordeactivation of one or more secondary cells. In an example, the basestation may transmit a MA CE indicating activation or deactivation ofone or more secondary cells. In an example, the base station maytransmit one or more MAC CEs indicating starting and/or stopping one ormore Discontinuous Reception (DRX) timers at the wireless device. In anexample, the base station may transmit one or more MAC CEs indicatingone or more timing advance values for one or more Timing Advance Groups(TAGs).

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of base stations (base station 1, 120A, andbase station 2, 120B) and a wireless device 110. A wireless device maybe called an wireless device. A base station may be called a NB, eNB,gNB, and/or ng-eNB. In an example, a wireless device and/or a basestation may act as a relay node. The base station 1, 120A, may compriseat least one communication interface 320A (e.g. a wireless modem, anantenna, a wired modem, and/or the like), at least one processor 321A,and at least one set of program code instructions 323A stored innon-transitory memory 322A and executable by the at least one processor321A. The base station 2, 120B, may comprise at least one communicationinterface 320B, at least one processor 321B, and at least one set ofprogram code instructions 323B stored in non-transitory memory 322B andexecutable by the at least one processor 321B.

A base station may comprise many sectors for example: 1, 2, 3, 4, or 6sectors. A base station may comprise many cells, for example, rangingfrom 1 to 50 cells or more. A cell may be categorized, for example, as aprimary cell or secondary cell. At Radio Resource Control (RRC)connection establishment/re-establishment/handover, one serving cell mayprovide the NAS (non-access stratum) mobility information (e.g. TrackingArea Identifier (TAI)). At RRC connection re-establishment/handover, oneserving cell may provide the security input. This cell may be referredto as the Primary Cell (PCell). In the downlink, a carrier correspondingto the PCell may be a DL Primary Component Carrier (PCC), while in theuplink, a carrier may be an UL PCC. Depending on wireless devicecapabilities, Secondary Cells (SCells) may be configured to formtogether with a PCell a set of serving cells. In a downlink, a carriercorresponding to an SCell may be a downlink secondary component carrier(DL SCC), while in an uplink, a carrier may be an uplink secondarycomponent carrier (UL SCC). An SCell may or may not have an uplinkcarrier.

A cell, comprising a downlink carrier and optionally an uplink carrier,may be assigned a physical cell ID and a cell index. A carrier (downlinkor uplink) may belong to one cell. The cell ID or cell index may alsoidentify the downlink carrier or uplink carrier of the cell (dependingon the context it is used). In the disclosure, a cell ID may be equallyreferred to a carrier ID, and a cell index may be referred to a carrierindex. In an implementation, a physical cell ID or a cell index may beassigned to a cell. A cell ID may be determined using a synchronizationsignal transmitted on a downlink carrier. A cell index may be determinedusing RRC messages. For example, when the disclosure refers to a firstphysical cell ID for a first downlink carrier, the disclosure may meanthe first physical cell ID is for a cell comprising the first downlinkcarrier. The same concept may apply to, for example, carrier activation.When the disclosure indicates that a first carrier is activated, thespecification may equally mean that a cell comprising the first carrieris activated.

A base station may transmit to a wireless device one or more messages(e.g. RRC messages) comprising a plurality of configuration parametersfor one or more cells. One or more cells may comprise at least oneprimary cell and at least one secondary cell. In an example, an RRCmessage may be broadcasted or unicasted to the wireless device. In anexample, configuration parameters may comprise common parameters anddedicated parameters.

Services and/or functions of an RRC sublayer may comprise at least oneof: broadcast of system information related to AS and NAS; paginginitiated by 5GC and/or NG-RAN; establishment, maintenance, and/orrelease of an RRC connection between a wireless device and NG-RAN, whichmay comprise at least one of addition, modification and release ofcarrier aggregation; or addition, modification, and/or release of dualconnectivity in NR or between E-UTRA and NR. Services and/or functionsof an RRC sublayer may further comprise at least one of securityfunctions comprising key management; establishment, configuration,maintenance, and/or release of Signaling Radio Bearers (SRBs) and/orData Radio Bearers (DRBs); mobility functions which may comprise atleast one of a handover (e.g. intra NR mobility or inter-RAT mobility)and a context transfer; or a wireless device cell selection andreselection and control of cell selection and reselection. Servicesand/or functions of an RRC sublayer may further comprise at least one ofQoS management functions; a wireless device measurementconfiguration/reporting; detection of and/or recovery from radio linkfailure; or NAS message transfer to/from a core network entity (e.g.AMF, Mobility Management Entity (MME)) from/to the wireless device.

An RRC sublayer may support an RRC_Idle state, an RRC_Inactive stateand/or an RRC_Connected state for a wireless device. In an RRC_Idlestate, a wireless device may perform at least one of: Public Land MobileNetwork (PLMN) selection; receiving broadcasted system information; cellselection/re-selection; monitoring/receiving a paging for mobileterminated data initiated by 5GC; paging for mobile terminated data areamanaged by 5GC; or DRX for CN paging configured via NAS. In anRRC_Inactive state, a wireless device may perform at least one of:receiving broadcasted system information; cell selection/re-selection;monitoring/receiving a RAN/CN paging initiated by NG-RAN/5GC; RAN-basednotification area (RNA) managed by NG-RAN; or DRX for RAN/CN pagingconfigured by NG-RAN/NAS. In an RRC_Idle state of a wireless device, abase station (e.g. NG-RAN) may keep a 5GC-NG-RAN connection (bothC/U-planes) for the wireless device; and/or store a wireless device AScontext for the wireless device. In an RRC_Connected state of a wirelessdevice, a base station (e.g. NG-RAN) may perform at least one of:establishment of 5GC-NG-RAN connection (both C/U-planes) for thewireless device; storing a wireless device AS context for the wirelessdevice; transmit/receive of unicast data to/from the wireless device; ornetwork-controlled mobility based on measurement results received fromthe wireless device. In an RRC_Connected state of a wireless device, anNG-RAN may know a cell that the wireless device belongs to.

System information (SI) may be divided into minimum SI and other SI. Theminimum SI may be periodically broadcast. The minimum SI may comprisebasic information required for initial access and information foracquiring any other SI broadcast periodically or provisioned on-demand,i.e. scheduling information. The other SI may either be broadcast, or beprovisioned in a dedicated manner, either triggered by a network or uponrequest from a wireless device. A minimum SI may be transmitted via twodifferent downlink channels using different messages (e.g.MasterInformationBlock and SystemInformationBlockType1). Another SI maybe transmitted via SystemInformationBlockType2. For a wireless device inan RRC_Connected state, dedicated RRC signaling may be employed for therequest and delivery of the other SI. For the wireless device in theRRC_Idle state and/or the RRC_Inactive state, the request may trigger arandom-access procedure.

A wireless device may report its radio access capability informationwhich may be static. A base station may request what capabilities for awireless device to report based on band information. When allowed by anetwork, a temporary capability restriction request may be sent by thewireless device to signal the limited availability of some capabilities(e.g. due to hardware sharing, interference or overheating) to the basestation. The base station may confirm or reject the request. Thetemporary capability restriction may be transparent to 5GC (e.g., staticcapabilities may be stored in 5GC).

When CA is configured, a wireless device may have an RRC connection witha network. At RRC connection establishment/re-establishment/handoverprocedure, one serving cell may provide NAS mobility information, and atRRC connection re-establishment/handover, one serving cell may provide asecurity input. This cell may be referred to as the PCell. Depending onthe capabilities of the wireless device, SCells may be configured toform together with the PCell a set of serving cells. The configured setof serving cells for the wireless device may comprise one PCell and oneor more SCells.

The reconfiguration, addition and removal of SCells may be performed byRRC. At intra-NR handover, RRC may also add, remove, or reconfigureSCells for usage with the target PCell. When adding a new SCell,dedicated RRC signaling may be employed to send all required systeminformation of the SCell i.e. while in connected mode, wireless devicesmay not need to acquire broadcasted system information directly from theSCells.

The purpose of an RRC connection reconfiguration procedure may be tomodify an RRC connection, (e.g. to establish, modify and/or release RBs,to perform handover, to setup, modify, and/or release measurements, toadd, modify, and/or release SCells and cell groups). As part of the RRCconnection reconfiguration procedure, NAS dedicated information may betransferred from the network to the wireless device. TheRRCConnectionReconfiguration message may be a command to modify an RRCconnection. It may convey information for measurement configuration,mobility control, radio resource configuration (e.g. RBs, MAC mainconfiguration and physical channel configuration) comprising anyassociated dedicated NAS information and security configuration. If thereceived RRC Connection Reconfiguration message includes thesCellToReleaseList, the wireless device may perform an SCell release. Ifthe received RRC Connection Reconfiguration message includes thesCellToAddModList, the wireless device may perform SCell additions ormodification.

An RRC connection establishment (or reestablishment, resume) proceduremay be to establish (or reestablish, resume) an RRC connection. an RRCconnection establishment procedure may comprise SRB1 establishment. TheRRC connection establishment procedure may be used to transfer theinitial NAS dedicated information/message from a wireless device toE-UTRAN. The RRCConnectionReestablishment message may be used tore-establish SRB1.

A measurement report procedure may be to transfer measurement resultsfrom a wireless device to NG-RAN. The wireless device may initiate ameasurement report procedure after successful security activation. Ameasurement report message may be employed to transmit measurementresults.

The wireless device 110 may comprise at least one communicationinterface 310 (e.g. a wireless modem, an antenna, and/or the like), atleast one processor 314, and at least one set of program codeinstructions 316 stored in non-transitory memory 315 and executable bythe at least one processor 314. The wireless device 110 may furthercomprise at least one of at least one speaker/microphone 311, at leastone keypad 312, at least one display/touchpad 313, at least one powersource 317, at least one global positioning system (GPS) chipset 318,and other peripherals 319.

The processor 314 of the wireless device 110, the processor 321A of thebase station 1 120A, and/or the processor 321B of the base station 2120B may comprise at least one of a general-purpose processor, a digitalsignal processor (DSP), a controller, a microcontroller, an applicationspecific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array(FPGA) and/or other programmable logic device, discrete gate and/ortransistor logic, discrete hardware components, and the like. Theprocessor 314 of the wireless device 110, the processor 321A in basestation 1 120A, and/or the processor 321B in base station 2 120B mayperform at least one of signal coding/processing, data processing, powercontrol, input/output processing, and/or any other functionality thatmay enable the wireless device 110, the base station 1 120A and/or thebase station 2 120B to operate in a wireless environment.

The processor 314 of the wireless device 110 may be connected to thespeaker/microphone 311, the keypad 312, and/or the display/touchpad 313.The processor 314 may receive user input data from and/or provide useroutput data to the speaker/microphone 311, the keypad 312, and/or thedisplay/touchpad 313. The processor 314 in the wireless device 110 mayreceive power from the power source 317 and/or may be configured todistribute the power to the other components in the wireless device 110.The power source 317 may comprise at least one of one or more dry cellbatteries, solar cells, fuel cells, and the like. The processor 314 maybe connected to the GPS chipset 318. The GPS chipset 318 may beconfigured to provide geographic location information of the wirelessdevice 110.

The processor 314 of the wireless device 110 may further be connected toother peripherals 319, which may comprise one or more software and/orhardware modules that provide additional features and/orfunctionalities. For example, the peripherals 319 may comprise at leastone of an accelerometer, a satellite transceiver, a digital camera, auniversal serial bus (USB) port, a hands-free headset, a frequencymodulated (FM) radio unit, a media player, an Internet browser, and thelike.

The communication interface 320A of the base station 1, 120A, and/or thecommunication interface 320B of the base station 2, 120B, may beconfigured to communicate with the communication interface 310 of thewireless device 110 via a wireless link 330A and/or a wireless link 330Brespectively. In an example, the communication interface 320A of thebase station 1, 120A, may communicate with the communication interface320B of the base station 2 and other RAN and core network nodes.

The wireless link 330A and/or the wireless link 330B may comprise atleast one of a bi-directional link and/or a directional link. Thecommunication interface 310 of the wireless device 110 may be configuredto communicate with the communication interface 320A of the base station1 120A and/or with the communication interface 320B of the base station2 120B. The base station 1 120A and the wireless device 110 and/or thebase station 2 120B and the wireless device 110 may be configured tosend and receive transport blocks via the wireless link 330A and/or viathe wireless link 330B, respectively. The wireless link 330A and/or thewireless link 330B may employ at least one frequency carrier. Accordingto some of various aspects of embodiments, transceiver(s) may beemployed. A transceiver may be a device that comprises both atransmitter and a receiver. Transceivers may be employed in devices suchas wireless devices, base stations, relay nodes, and/or the like.Example embodiments for radio technology implemented in thecommunication interface 310, 320A, 320B and the wireless link 330A, 330Bare illustrated in FIG. 4A, FIG. 4B, FIG. 4C, FIG. 4D, FIG. 6 , FIG. 7A,FIG. 7B, FIG. 8 , and associated text.

In an example, other nodes in a wireless network (e.g. AMF, UPF, SMF,etc.) may comprise one or more communication interfaces, one or moreprocessors, and memory storing instructions.

A node (e.g. wireless device, base station, AMF, SMF, UPF, servers,switches, antennas, and/or the like) may comprise one or moreprocessors, and memory storing instructions that when executed by theone or more processors causes the node to perform certain processesand/or functions. Example embodiments may enable operation ofsingle-carrier and/or multi-carrier communications. Other exampleembodiments may comprise a non-transitory tangible computer readablemedia comprising instructions executable by one or more processors tocause operation of single-carrier and/or multi-carrier communications.Yet other example embodiments may comprise an article of manufacturethat comprises a non-transitory tangible computer readablemachine-accessible medium having instructions encoded thereon forenabling programmable hardware to cause a node to enable operation ofsingle-carrier and/or multi-carrier communications. The node may includeprocessors, memory, interfaces, and/or the like.

An interface may comprise at least one of a hardware interface, afirmware interface, a software interface, and/or a combination thereof.The hardware interface may comprise connectors, wires, electronicdevices such as drivers, amplifiers, and/or the like. The softwareinterface may comprise code stored in a memory device to implementprotocol(s), protocol layers, communication drivers, device drivers,combinations thereof, and/or the like. The firmware interface maycomprise a combination of embedded hardware and code stored in and/or incommunication with a memory device to implement connections, electronicdevice operations, protocol(s), protocol layers, communication drivers,device drivers, hardware operations, combinations thereof, and/or thelike.

FIG. 4A, FIG. 4B, FIG. 4C and FIG. 4D are example diagrams for uplinkand downlink signal transmission as per an aspect of an embodiment ofthe present disclosure. FIG. 4A shows an example uplink transmitter forat least one physical channel. A baseband signal representing a physicaluplink shared channel may perform one or more functions. The one or morefunctions may comprise at least one of: scrambling; modulation ofscrambled bits to generate complex-valued symbols; mapping of thecomplex-valued modulation symbols onto one or several transmissionlayers; transform precoding to generate complex-valued symbols;precoding of the complex-valued symbols; mapping of precodedcomplex-valued symbols to resource elements; generation ofcomplex-valued time-domain Single Carrier-Frequency Division MultipleAccess (SC-FDMA) or CP-OFDM signal for an antenna port; and/or the like.In an example, when transform precoding is enabled, a SC-FDMA signal foruplink transmission may be generated. In an example, when transformprecoding is not enabled, an CP-OFDM signal for uplink transmission maybe generated by FIG. 4A. These functions are illustrated as examples andit is anticipated that other mechanisms may be implemented in variousembodiments.

An example structure for modulation and up-conversion to the carrierfrequency of the complex-valued SC-FDMA or CP-OFDM baseband signal foran antenna port and/or the complex-valued Physical Random Access CHannel(PRACH) baseband signal is shown in FIG. 4B. Filtering may be employedprior to transmission.

An example structure for downlink transmissions is shown in FIG. 4C. Thebaseband signal representing a downlink physical channel may perform oneor more functions. The one or more functions may comprise: scrambling ofcoded bits in a codeword to be transmitted on a physical channel;modulation of scrambled bits to generate complex-valued modulationsymbols; mapping of the complex-valued modulation symbols onto one orseveral transmission layers; precoding of the complex-valued modulationsymbols on a layer for transmission on the antenna ports; mapping ofcomplex-valued modulation symbols for an antenna port to resourceelements; generation of complex-valued time-domain OFDM signal for anantenna port; and/or the like. These functions are illustrated asexamples and it is anticipated that other mechanisms may be implementedin various embodiments.

In an example, a gNB may transmit a first symbol and a second symbol onan antenna port, to a wireless device. The wireless device may infer thechannel (e.g., fading gain, multipath delay, etc.) for conveying thesecond symbol on the antenna port, from the channel for conveying thefirst symbol on the antenna port. In an example, a first antenna portand a second antenna port may be quasi co-located if one or morelarge-scale properties of the channel over which a first symbol on thefirst antenna port is conveyed may be inferred from the channel overwhich a second symbol on a second antenna port is conveyed. The one ormore large-scale properties may comprise at least one of: delay spread;doppler spread; doppler shift; average gain; average delay; and/orspatial Receiving (Rx) parameters.

An example modulation and up-conversion to the carrier frequency of thecomplex-valued OFDM baseband signal for an antenna port is shown in FIG.4D. Filtering may be employed prior to transmission.

FIG. 5A is a diagram of an example uplink channel mapping and exampleuplink physical signals. FIG. 5B is a diagram of an example downlinkchannel mapping and a downlink physical signals. In an example, aphysical layer may provide one or more information transfer services toa MAC and/or one or more higher layers. For example, the physical layermay provide the one or more information transfer services to the MAC viaone or more transport channels. An information transfer service mayindicate how and with what characteristics data are transferred over theradio interface.

In an example embodiment, a radio network may comprise one or moredownlink and/or uplink transport channels. For example, a diagram inFIG. 5A shows example uplink transport channels comprising Uplink-SharedCHannel (UL-SCH) 501 and Random Access CHannel (RACH) 502. A diagram inFIG. 5B shows example downlink transport channels comprisingDownlink-Shared CHannel (DL-SCH) 511, Paging CHannel (PCH) 512, andBroadcast CHannel (BCH) 513. A transport channel may be mapped to one ormore corresponding physical channels. For example, UL-SCH 501 may bemapped to Physical Uplink Shared CHannel (PUSCH) 503. RACH 502 may bemapped to PRACH 505. DL-SCH 511 and PCH 512 may be mapped to PhysicalDownlink Shared CHannel (PDSCH) 514. BCH 513 may be mapped to PhysicalBroadcast CHannel (PBCH) 516.

There may be one or more physical channels without a correspondingtransport channel. The one or more physical channels may be employed forUplink Control Information (UCI) 509 and/or Downlink Control Information(DCI) 517. For example, Physical Uplink Control CHannel (PUCCH) 504 maycarry UCI 509 from a wireless device to a base station. For example,Physical Downlink Control CHannel (PDCCH) 515 may carry DCI 517 from abase station to a wireless device. NR may support UCI 509 multiplexingin PUSCH 503 when UCI 509 and PUSCH 503 transmissions may coincide in aslot at least in part. The UCI 509 may comprise at least one of CSI,Acknowledgement (ACK)/Negative Acknowledgement (NACK), and/or schedulingrequest. The DCI 517 on PDCCH 515 may indicate at least one offollowing: one or more downlink assignments and/or one or more uplinkscheduling grants

In uplink, a wireless device may transmit one or more Reference Signals(RSs) to a base station. For example, the one or more RSs may be atleast one of Demodulation-RS (DM-RS) 506, Phase Tracking-RS (PT-RS) 507,and/or Sounding RS (SRS) 508. In downlink, a base station may transmit(e.g., unicast, multicast, and/or broadcast) one or more RSs to awireless device. For example, the one or more RSs may be at least one ofPrimary Synchronization Signal (PSS)/Secondary Synchronization Signal(SSS) 521, CSI-RS 522, DM-RS 523, and/or PT-RS 524.

In an example, a wireless device may transmit one or more uplink DM-RSs506 to a base station for channel estimation, for example, for coherentdemodulation of one or more uplink physical channels (e.g., PUSCH 503and/or PUCCH 504). For example, a wireless device may transmit a basestation at least one uplink DM-RS 506 with PUSCH 503 and/or PUCCH 504,wherein the at least one uplink DM-RS 506 may be spanning a samefrequency range as a corresponding physical channel. In an example, abase station may configure a wireless device with one or more uplinkDM-RS configurations. At least one DM-RS configuration may support afront-loaded DM-RS pattern. A front-loaded DM-RS may be mapped over oneor more OFDM symbols (e.g., 1 or 2 adjacent OFDM symbols). One or moreadditional uplink DM-RS may be configured to transmit at one or moresymbols of a PUSCH and/or PUCCH. A base station may semi-statisticallyconfigure a wireless device with a maximum number of front-loaded DM-RSsymbols for PUSCH and/or PUCCH. For example, a wireless device mayschedule a single-symbol DM-RS and/or double symbol DM-RS based on amaximum number of front-loaded DM-RS symbols, wherein a base station mayconfigure the wireless device with one or more additional uplink DM-RSfor PUSCH and/or PUCCH. A new radio network may support, e.g., at leastfor CP-OFDM, a common DM-RS structure for DL and UL, wherein a DM-RSlocation, DM-RS pattern, and/or scrambling sequence may be same ordifferent.

In an example, whether uplink PT-RS 507 is present or not may depend ona RRC configuration. For example, a presence of uplink PT-RS may bewireless device-specifically configured. For example, a presence and/ora pattern of uplink PT-RS 507 in a scheduled resource may be wirelessdevice-specifically configured by a combination of RRC signaling and/orassociation with one or more parameters employed for other purposes(e.g., Modulation and Coding Scheme (MCS)) which may be indicated byDCI. When configured, a dynamic presence of uplink PT-RS 507 may beassociated with one or more DCI parameters comprising at least MCS. Aradio network may support plurality of uplink PT-RS densities defined intime/frequency domain. When present, a frequency domain density may beassociated with at least one configuration of a scheduled bandwidth. Awireless device may assume a same precoding for a DMRS port and a PT-RSport. A number of PT-RS ports may be fewer than a number of DM-RS portsin a scheduled resource. For example, uplink PT-RS 507 may be confinedin the scheduled time/frequency duration for a wireless device.

In an example, a wireless device may transmit SRS 508 to a base stationfor channel state estimation to support uplink channel dependentscheduling and/or link adaptation. For example, SRS 508 transmitted by awireless device may allow for a base station to estimate an uplinkchannel state at one or more different frequencies. A base stationscheduler may employ an uplink channel state to assign one or moreresource blocks of good quality for an uplink PUSCH transmission from awireless device. A base station may semi-statistically configure awireless device with one or more SRS resource sets. For an SRS resourceset, a base station may configure a wireless device with one or more SRSresources. An SRS resource set applicability may be configured by ahigher layer (e.g., RRC) parameter. For example, when a higher layerparameter indicates beam management, a SRS resource in each of one ormore SRS resource sets may be transmitted at a time instant. A wirelessdevice may transmit one or more SRS resources in different SRS resourcesets simultaneously. A new radio network may support aperiodic, periodicand/or semi-persistent SRS transmissions. A wireless device may transmitSRS resources based on one or more trigger types, wherein the one ormore trigger types may comprise higher layer signaling (e.g., RRC)and/or one or more DCI formats (e.g., at least one DCI format may beemployed for a wireless device to select at least one of one or moreconfigured SRS resource sets. An SRS trigger type 0 may refer to an SRStriggered based on a higher layer signaling. An SRS trigger type 1 mayrefer to an SRS triggered based on one or more DCI formats. In anexample, when PUSCH 503 and SRS 508 are transmitted in a same slot, awireless device may be configured to transmit SRS 508 after atransmission of PUSCH 503 and corresponding uplink DM-RS 506.

In an example, a base station may semi-statistically configure awireless device with one or more SRS configuration parameters indicatingat least one of following: a SRS resource configuration identifier, anumber of SRS ports, time domain behavior of SRS resource configuration(e.g., an indication of periodic, semi-persistent, or aperiodic SRS),slot (mini-slot, and/or subframe) level periodicity and/or offset for aperiodic and/or aperiodic SRS resource, a number of OFDM symbols in aSRS resource, starting OFDM symbol of a SRS resource, a SRS bandwidth, afrequency hopping bandwidth, a cyclic shift, and/or a SRS sequence ID.

In an example, in a time domain, an SS/PBCH block may comprise one ormore OFDM symbols (e.g., 4 OFDM symbols numbered in increasing orderfrom 0 to 3) within the SS/PBCH block. An SS/PBCH block may comprisePSS/SSS 521 and PBCH 516. In an example, in the frequency domain, anSS/PBCH block may comprise one or more contiguous subcarriers (e.g., 240contiguous subcarriers with the subcarriers numbered in increasing orderfrom 0 to 239) within the SS/PBCH block. For example, a PSS/SSS 521 mayoccupy 1 OFDM symbol and 127 subcarriers. For example, PBCH 516 may spanacross 3 OFDM symbols and 240 subcarriers. A wireless device may assumethat one or more SS/PBCH blocks transmitted with a same block index maybe quasi co-located, e.g., with respect to Doppler spread, Dopplershift, average gain, average delay, and spatial Rx parameters. Awireless device may not assume quasi co-location for other SS/PBCH blocktransmissions. A periodicity of an SS/PBCH block may be configured by aradio network (e.g., by an RRC signaling) and one or more time locationswhere the SS/PBCH block may be sent may be determined by sub-carrierspacing. In an example, a wireless device may assume a band-specificsub-carrier spacing for an SS/PBCH block unless a radio network hasconfigured a wireless device to assume a different sub-carrier spacing.

In an example, downlink CSI-RS 522 may be employed for a wireless deviceto acquire channel state information. A radio network may supportperiodic, aperiodic, and/or semi-persistent transmission of downlinkCSI-RS 522. For example, a base station may semi-statistically configureand/or reconfigure a wireless device with periodic transmission ofdownlink CSI-RS 522. A configured CSI-RS resources may be activatedad/or deactivated. For semi-persistent transmission, an activationand/or deactivation of CSI-RS resource may be triggered dynamically. Inan example, CSI-RS configuration may comprise one or more parametersindicating at least a number of antenna ports. For example, a basestation may configure a wireless device with 32 ports. A base stationmay semi-statistically configure a wireless device with one or moreCSI-RS resource sets. One or more CSI-RS resources may be allocated fromone or more CSI-RS resource sets to one or more UEs. For example, a basestation may semi-statistically configure one or more parametersindicating CSI RS resource mapping, for example, time-domain location ofone or more CSI-RS resources, a bandwidth of a CSI-RS resource, and/or aperiodicity. In an example, a wireless device may be configured toemploy a same OFDM symbols for downlink CSI-RS 522 and control resourceset (coreset) when the downlink CSI-RS 522 and coreset are spatiallyquasi co-located and resource elements associated with the downlinkCSI-RS 522 are the outside of PRBs configured for coreset. In anexample, a wireless device may be configured to employ a same OFDMsymbols for downlink CSI-RS 522 and SSB/PBCH when the downlink CSI-RS522 and SSB/PBCH are spatially quasi co-located and resource elementsassociated with the downlink CSI-RS 522 are the outside of PRBsconfigured for SSB/PBCH.

In an example, a wireless device may transmit one or more downlinkDM-RSs 523 to a base station for channel estimation, for example, forcoherent demodulation of one or more downlink physical channels (e.g.,PDSCH 514). For example, a radio network may support one or morevariable and/or configurable DM-RS patterns for data demodulation. Atleast one downlink DM-RS configuration may support a front-loaded DM-RSpattern. A front-loaded DM-RS may be mapped over one or more OFDMsymbols (e.g., 1 or 2 adjacent OFDM symbols). A base station maysemi-statistically configure a wireless device with a maximum number offront-loaded DM-RS symbols for PDSCH 514. For example, a DM-RSconfiguration may support one or more DM-RS ports. For example, forsingle user-MIMO, a DM-RS configuration may support at least 8orthogonal downlink DM-RS ports. For example, for multiuser-MIMO, aDM-RS configuration may support 12 orthogonal downlink DM-RS ports. Aradio network may support, e.g., at least for CP-OFDM, a common DM-RSstructure for DL and UL, wherein a DM-RS location, DM-RS pattern, and/orscrambling sequence may be same or different.

In an example, whether downlink PT-RS 524 is present or not may dependon a RRC configuration. For example, a presence of downlink PT-RS 524may be wireless device-specifically configured. For example, a presenceand/or a pattern of downlink PT-RS 524 in a scheduled resource may bewireless device-specifically configured by a combination of RRCsignaling and/or association with one or more parameters employed forother purposes (e.g., MCS) which may be indicated by DCI. Whenconfigured, a dynamic presence of downlink PT-RS 524 may be associatedwith one or more DCI parameters comprising at least MCS. A radio networkmay support plurality of PT-RS densities defined in time/frequencydomain. When present, a frequency domain density may be associated withat least one configuration of a scheduled bandwidth. A wireless devicemay assume a same precoding for a DMRS port and a PT-RS port. A numberof PT-RS ports may be fewer than a number of DM-RS ports in a scheduledresource. For example, downlink PT-RS 524 may be confined in thescheduled time/frequency duration for a wireless device.

FIG. 6 is a diagram depicting an example frame structure for a carrieras per an aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure. Amulticarrier OFDM communication system may include one or more carriers,for example, ranging from 1 to 32 carriers, in case of carrieraggregation, or ranging from 1 to 64 carriers, in case of dualconnectivity. Different radio frame structures may be supported (e.g.,for FDD and for TDD duplex mechanisms). FIG. 6 shows an example framestructure. Downlink and uplink transmissions may be organized into radioframes 601. In this example, radio frame duration is 10 ms. In thisexample, a 10 ms radio frame 601 may be divided into ten equally sizedsubframes 602 with 1 ms duration. Subframe(s) may comprise one or moreslots (e.g. slots 603 and 605) depending on subcarrier spacing and/or CPlength. For example, a subframe with 15 kHz, 30 kHz, 60 kHz, 120 kHz,240 kHz and 480 kHz subcarrier spacing may comprise one, two, four,eight, sixteen and thirty-two slots, respectively. In FIG. 6 , asubframe may be divided into two equally sized slots 603 with 0.5 msduration. For example, 10 subframes may be available for downlinktransmission and 10 subframes may be available for uplink transmissionsin a 10 ms interval. Uplink and downlink transmissions may be separatedin the frequency domain. Slot(s) may include a plurality of OFDM symbols604. The number of OFDM symbols 604 in a slot 605 may depend on thecyclic prefix length. For example, a slot may be 14 OFDM symbols for thesame subcarrier spacing of up to 480 kHz with normal CP. A slot may be12 OFDM symbols for the same subcarrier spacing of 60 kHz with extendedCP. A slot may contain downlink, uplink, or a downlink part and anuplink part and/or alike.

FIG. 7A is a diagram depicting example sets of OFDM subcarriers as peran aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure. In the example, agNB may communicate with a wireless device with a carrier with anexample channel bandwidth 700. Arrow(s) in the diagram may depict asubcarrier in a multicarrier OFDM system. The OFDM system may usetechnology such as OFDM technology, SC-FDMA technology, and/or the like.In an example, an arrow 701 shows a subcarrier transmitting informationsymbols. In an example, a subcarrier spacing 702, between two contiguoussubcarriers in a carrier, may be any one of 15 KHz, 30 KHz, 60 KHz, 120KHz, 240 KHz etc. In an example, different subcarrier spacing maycorrespond to different transmission numerologies. In an example, atransmission numerology may comprise at least: a numerology index; avalue of subcarrier spacing; a type of cyclic prefix (CP). In anexample, a gNB may transmit to/receive from a wireless device on anumber of subcarriers 703 in a carrier. In an example, a bandwidthoccupied by a number of subcarriers 703 (transmission bandwidth) may besmaller than the channel bandwidth 700 of a carrier, due to guard band704 and 705. In an example, a guard band 704 and 705 may be used toreduce interference to and from one or more neighbor carriers. A numberof subcarriers (transmission bandwidth) in a carrier may depend on thechannel bandwidth of the carrier and the subcarrier spacing. Forexample, a transmission bandwidth, for a carrier with 20 MHz channelbandwidth and 15 KHz subcarrier spacing, may be in number of 1024subcarriers.

In an example, a gNB and a wireless device may communicate with multipleCCs when configured with CA. In an example, different component carriersmay have different bandwidth and/or subcarrier spacing, if CA issupported. In an example, a gNB may transmit a first type of service toa wireless device on a first component carrier. The gNB may transmit asecond type of service to the wireless device on a second componentcarrier. Different type of services may have different servicerequirement (e.g., data rate, latency, reliability), which may besuitable for transmission via different component carrier havingdifferent subcarrier spacing and/or bandwidth. FIG. 7B shows an exampleembodiment. A first component carrier may comprise a first number ofsubcarriers 706 with a first subcarrier spacing 709. A second componentcarrier may comprise a second number of subcarriers 707 with a secondsubcarrier spacing 710. A third component carrier may comprise a thirdnumber of subcarriers 708 with a third subcarrier spacing 711. Carriersin a multicarrier OFDM communication system may be contiguous carriers,non-contiguous carriers, or a combination of both contiguous andnon-contiguous carriers.

FIG. 8 is a diagram depicting OFDM radio resources as per an aspect ofan embodiment of the present disclosure. In an example, a carrier mayhave a transmission bandwidth 801. In an example, a resource grid may bein a structure of frequency domain 802 and time domain 803. In anexample, a resource grid may comprise a first number of OFDM symbols ina subframe and a second number of resource blocks, starting from acommon resource block indicated by higher-layer signaling (e.g. RRCsignaling), for a transmission numerology and a carrier. In an example,in a resource grid, a resource unit identified by a subcarrier index anda symbol index may be a resource element 805. In an example, a subframemay comprise a first number of OFDM symbols 807 depending on anumerology associated with a carrier. For example, when a subcarrierspacing of a numerology of a carrier is 15 KHz, a subframe may have 14OFDM symbols for a carrier. When a subcarrier spacing of a numerology is30 KHz, a subframe may have 28 OFDM symbols. When a subcarrier spacingof a numerology is 60 Khz, a subframe may have 56 OFDM symbols, etc. Inan example, a second number of resource blocks comprised in a resourcegrid of a carrier may depend on a bandwidth and a numerology of thecarrier.

As shown in FIG. 8 , a resource block 806 may comprise 12 subcarriers.In an example, multiple resource blocks may be grouped into a ResourceBlock Group (RBG) 804. In an example, a size of a RBG may depend on atleast one of: a RRC message indicating a RBG size configuration; a sizeof a carrier bandwidth; or a size of a bandwidth part of a carrier. Inan example, a carrier may comprise multiple bandwidth parts. A firstbandwidth part of a carrier may have different frequency location and/orbandwidth from a second bandwidth part of the carrier.

In an example, a gNB may transmit a downlink control informationcomprising a downlink or uplink resource block assignment to a wirelessdevice. A base station may transmit to or receive from, a wirelessdevice, data packets (e.g. transport blocks) scheduled and transmittedvia one or more resource blocks and one or more slots according toparameters in a downlink control information and/or RRC message(s). Inan example, a starting symbol relative to a first slot of the one ormore slots may be indicated to the wireless device. In an example, a gNBmay transmit to or receive from, a wireless device, data packetsscheduled on one or more RBGs and one or more slots.

In an example, a gNB may transmit a downlink control informationcomprising a downlink assignment to a wireless device via one or morePDCCHs. The downlink assignment may comprise parameters indicating atleast modulation and coding format; resource allocation; and/or HARQinformation related to DL-SCH. In an example, a resource allocation maycomprise parameters of resource block allocation; and/or slotallocation. In an example, a gNB may dynamically allocate resources to awireless device via a Cell-Radio Network Temporary Identifier (C-RNTI)on one or more PDCCHs. The wireless device may monitor the one or morePDCCHs in order to find possible allocation when its downlink receptionis enabled. The wireless device may receive one or more downlink datapackage on one or more PDSCH scheduled by the one or more PDCCHs, whensuccessfully detecting the one or more PDCCHs.

In an example, a gNB may allocate Configured Scheduling (CS) resourcesfor down link transmission to a wireless device. The gNB may transmitone or more RRC messages indicating a periodicity of the CS grant. ThegNB may transmit a DCI via a PDCCH addressed to a ConfiguredScheduling-RNTI (CS-RNTI) activating the CS resources. The DCI maycomprise parameters indicating that the downlink grant is a CS grant.The CS grant may be implicitly reused according to the periodicitydefined by the one or more RRC messages, until deactivated.

In an example, a gNB may transmit a downlink control informationcomprising an uplink grant to a wireless device via one or more PDCCHs.The uplink grant may comprise parameters indicating at least modulationand coding format; resource allocation; and/or HARQ information relatedto UL-SCH. In an example, a resource allocation may comprise parametersof resource block allocation; and/or slot allocation. In an example, agNB may dynamically allocate resources to a wireless device via a C-RNTIon one or more PDCCHs. The wireless device may monitor the one or morePDCCHs in order to find possible resource allocation. The wirelessdevice may transmit one or more uplink data package via one or morePUSCH scheduled by the one or more PDCCHs, when successfully detectingthe one or more PDCCHs.

In an example, a gNB may allocate CS resources for uplink datatransmission to a wireless device. The gNB may transmit one or more RRCmessages indicating a periodicity of the CS grant. The gNB may transmita DCI via a PDCCH addressed to a CS-RNTI activating the CS resources.The DCI may comprise parameters indicating that the uplink grant is a CSgrant. The CS grant may be implicitly reused according to theperiodicity defined by the one or more RRC message, until deactivated.

In an example, a base station may transmit DCI/control signaling viaPDCCH. The DCI may take a format in a plurality of formats. A DCI maycomprise downlink and/or uplink scheduling information (e.g., resourceallocation information, HARQ related parameters, MCS), request for CSI(e.g., aperiodic CQI reports), request for SRS, uplink power controlcommands for one or more cells, one or more timing information (e.g., TBtransmission/reception timing, HARQ feedback timing, etc.), etc. In anexample, a DCI may indicate an uplink grant comprising transmissionparameters for one or more transport blocks. In an example, a DCI mayindicate downlink assignment indicating parameters for receiving one ormore transport blocks. In an example, a DCI may be used by base stationto initiate a contention-free random access at the wireless device. Inan example, the base station may transmit a DCI comprising slot formatindicator (SFI) notifying a slot format. In an example, the base stationmay transmit a DCI comprising pre-emption indication notifying thePRB(s) and/or OFDM symbol(s) where a wireless device may assume notransmission is intended for the wireless device. In an example, thebase station may transmit a DCI for group power control of PUCCH orPUSCH or SRS. In an example, a DCI may correspond to an RNTI. In anexample, the wireless device may obtain an RNTI in response tocompleting the initial access (e.g., C-RNTI). In an example, the basestation may configure an RNTI for the wireless (e.g., CS-RNTI,TPC-CS-RNTI, TPC-PUCCH-RNTI, TPC-PUSCH-RNTI, TPC-SRS-RNTI). In anexample, the wireless device may compute an RNTI (e.g., the wirelessdevice may compute RA-RNTI based on resources used for transmission of apreamble). In an example, an RNTI may have a pre-configured value (e.g.,P-RNTI or SI-RNTI). In an example, a wireless device may monitor a groupcommon search space which may be used by base station for transmittingDCIs that are intended for a group of UEs. In an example, a group commonDCI may correspond to an RNTI which is commonly configured for a groupof UEs. In an example, a wireless device may monitor a wirelessdevice-specific search space. In an example, a wireless device specificDCI may correspond to an RNTI configured for the wireless device.

A NR system may support a single beam operation and/or a multi-beamoperation. In a multi-beam operation, a base station may perform adownlink beam sweeping to provide coverage for common control channelsand/or downlink SS blocks, which may comprise at least a PSS, a SSS,and/or PBCH. A wireless device may measure quality of a beam pair linkusing one or more RSs. One or more SS blocks, or one or more CSI-RSresources, associated with a CSI-RS resource index (CRI), or one or moreDM-RSs of PBCH, may be used as RS for measuring quality of a beam pairlink. Quality of a beam pair link may be defined as a reference signalreceived power (RSRP) value, or a reference signal received quality(RSRQ) value, and/or a CSI value measured on RS resources. The basestation may indicate whether an RS resource, used for measuring a beampair link quality, is quasi-co-located (QCLed) with DM-RSs of a controlchannel. A RS resource and DM-RSs of a control channel may be calledQCLed when a channel characteristics from a transmission on an RS to awireless device, and that from a transmission on a control channel to awireless device, are similar or same under a configured criterion. In amulti-beam operation, a wireless device may perform an uplink beamsweeping to access a cell.

In an example, a wireless device may be configured to monitor PDCCH onone or more beam pair links simultaneously depending on a capability ofa wireless device. This may increase robustness against beam pair linkblocking. A base station may transmit one or more messages to configurea wireless device to monitor PDCCH on one or more beam pair links indifferent PDCCH OFDM symbols. For example, a base station may transmithigher layer signaling (e.g. RRC signaling) or MAC CE comprisingparameters related to the Rx beam setting of a wireless device formonitoring PDCCH on one or more beam pair links. A base station maytransmit indication of spatial QCL assumption between an DL RS antennaport(s) (for example, cell-specific CSI-RS, or wireless device-specificCSI-RS, or SS block, or PBCH with or without DM-RSs of PBCH), and DL RSantenna port(s) for demodulation of DL control channel. Signaling forbeam indication for a PDCCH may be MAC CE signaling, or RRC signaling,or DCI signaling, or specification-transparent and/or implicit method,and combination of these signaling methods.

For reception of unicast DL data channel, a base station may indicatespatial QCL parameters between DL RS antenna port(s) and DM-RS antennaport(s) of DL data channel. The base station may transmit DCI (e.g.downlink grants) comprising information indicating the RS antennaport(s). The information may indicate RS antenna port(s) which may beQCL-ed with the DM-RS antenna port(s). Different set of DM-RS antennaport(s) for a DL data channel may be indicated as QCL with different setof the RS antenna port(s).

FIG. 9A is an example of beam sweeping in a DL channel. In anRRC_INACTIVE state or RRC_IDLE state, a wireless device may assume thatSS blocks form an SS burst 940, and an SS burst set 950. The SS burstset 950 may have a given periodicity. For example, in a multi-beamoperation, a base station 120 may transmit SS blocks in multiple beams,together forming a SS burst 940. One or more SS blocks may betransmitted on one beam. If multiple SS bursts 940 are transmitted withmultiple beams, SS bursts together may form SS burst set 950.

A wireless device may further use CSI-RS in the multi-beam operation forestimating a beam quality of a links between a wireless device and abase station. A beam may be associated with a CSI-RS. For example, awireless device may, based on a RSRP measurement on CSI-RS, report abeam index, as indicated in a CRI for downlink beam selection, andassociated with a RSRP value of a beam. A CSI-RS may be transmitted on aCSI-RS resource including at least one of one or more antenna ports, oneor more time or frequency radio resources. A CSI-RS resource may beconfigured in a cell-specific way by common RRC signaling, or in awireless device-specific way by dedicated RRC signaling, and/or L1/L2signaling. Multiple wireless devices covered by a cell may measure acell-specific CSI-RS resource. A dedicated subset of wireless devicescovered by a cell may measure a wireless device-specific CSI-RSresource.

A CSI-RS resource may be transmitted periodically, or using aperiodictransmission, or using a multi-shot or semi-persistent transmission. Forexample, in a periodic transmission in FIG. 9A, a base station 120 maytransmit configured CSI-RS resources 940 periodically using a configuredperiodicity in a time domain. In an aperiodic transmission, a configuredCSI-RS resource may be transmitted in a dedicated time slot. In amulti-shot or semi-persistent transmission, a configured CSI-RS resourcemay be transmitted within a configured period. Beams used for CSI-RStransmission may have different beam width than beams used for SS-blockstransmission.

FIG. 9B is an example of a beam management procedure in an example newradio network. A base station 120 and/or a wireless device 110 mayperform a downlink L1/L2 beam management procedure. One or more of thefollowing downlink L1/L2 beam management procedures may be performedwithin one or more wireless devices 110 and one or more base stations120. In an example, a P-1 procedure 910 may be used to enable thewireless device 110 to measure one or more Transmission (Tx) beamsassociated with the base station 120 to support a selection of a firstset of Tx beams associated with the base station 120 and a first set ofRx beam(s) associated with a wireless device 110. For beamforming at abase station 120, a base station 120 may sweep a set of different TXbeams. For beamforming at a wireless device 110, a wireless device 110may sweep a set of different Rx beams. In an example, a P-2 procedure920 may be used to enable a wireless device 110 to measure one or moreTx beams associated with a base station 120 to possibly change a firstset of Tx beams associated with a base station 120. A P-2 procedure 920may be performed on a possibly smaller set of beams for beam refinementthan in the P-1 procedure 910. A P-2 procedure 920 may be a special caseof a P-1 procedure 910. In an example, a P-3 procedure 930 may be usedto enable a wireless device 110 to measure at least one Tx beamassociated with a base station 120 to change a first set of Rx beamsassociated with a wireless device 110.

A wireless device 110 may transmit one or more beam management reportsto a base station 120. In one or more beam management reports, awireless device 110 may indicate some beam pair quality parameters,comprising at least, one or more beam identifications; RSRP; PrecodingMatrix Indicator (PMI)/Channel Quality Indicator (CQI)/Rank Indicator(RI) of a subset of configured beams. Based on one or more beammanagement reports, a base station 120 may transmit to a wireless device110 a signal indicating that one or more beam pair links are one or moreserving beams. A base station 120 may transmit PDCCH and PDSCH for awireless device 110 using one or more serving beams.

In an example embodiment, new radio network may support a BandwidthAdaptation (BA). In an example, receive and/or transmit bandwidthsconfigured by a wireless device employing a BA may not be large. Forexample, a receive and/or transmit bandwidths may not be as large as abandwidth of a cell. Receive and/or transmit bandwidths may beadjustable. For example, a wireless device may change receive and/ortransmit bandwidths, e.g., to shrink during period of low activity tosave power. For example, a wireless device may change a location ofreceive and/or transmit bandwidths in a frequency domain, e.g. toincrease scheduling flexibility. For example, a wireless device maychange a subcarrier spacing, e.g. to allow different services.

In an example embodiment, a subset of a total cell bandwidth of a cellmay be referred to as a Bandwidth Part (BWP). A base station mayconfigure a wireless device with one or more BWPs to achieve a BA. Forexample, a base station may indicate, to a wireless device, which of theone or more (configured) BWPs is an active BWP.

FIG. 10 is an example diagram of 3 BWPs configured: BWP1 (1010 and 1050)with a width of 40 MHz and subcarrier spacing of 15 kHz; BWP2 (1020 and1040) with a width of 10 MHz and subcarrier spacing of 15 kHz; BWP3 1030with a width of 20 MHz and subcarrier spacing of 60 kHz.

In an example, a wireless device, configured for operation in one ormore BWPs of a cell, may be configured by one or more higher layers(e.g. RRC layer) for a cell a set of one or more BWPs (e.g., at mostfour BWPs) for receptions by the wireless device (DL BWP set) in a DLbandwidth by at least one parameter DL-BWP and a set of one or more BWPs(e.g., at most four BWPs) for transmissions by a wireless device (UL BWPset) in an UL bandwidth by at least one parameter UL-BWP for a cell.

To enable BA on the PCell, a base station may configure a wirelessdevice with one or more UL and DL BWP pairs. To enable BA on SCells(e.g., in case of CA), a base station may configure a wireless device atleast with one or more DL BWPs (e.g., there may be none in an UL).

In an example, an initial active DL BWP may be defined by at least oneof a location and number of contiguous PRBs, a subcarrier spacing, or acyclic prefix, for a control resource set for at least one common searchspace. For operation on the PCell, one or more higher layer parametersmay indicate at least one initial UL BWP for a random access procedure.If a wireless device is configured with a secondary carrier on a primarycell, the wireless device may be configured with an initial BWP forrandom access procedure on a secondary carrier.

In an example, for unpaired spectrum operation, a wireless device mayexpect that a center frequency for a DL BWP may be same as a centerfrequency for a UL BWP.

For example, for a DL BWP or an UL BWP in a set of one or more DL BWPsor one or more UL BWPs, respectively, a base statin maysemi-statistically configure a wireless device for a cell with one ormore parameters indicating at least one of following: a subcarrierspacing; a cyclic prefix; a number of contiguous PRBs; an index in theset of one or more DL BWPs and/or one or more UL BWPs; a link between aDL BWP and an UL BWP from a set of configured DL BWPs and UL BWPs; a DCIdetection to a PDSCH reception timing; a PDSCH reception to a HARQ-ACKtransmission timing value; a DCI detection to a PUSCH transmissiontiming value; an offset of a first PRB of a DL bandwidth or an ULbandwidth, respectively, relative to a first PRB of a bandwidth.

In an example, for a DL BWP in a set of one or more DL BWPs on a PCell,a base station may configure a wireless device with one or more controlresource sets for at least one type of common search space and/or onewireless device-specific search space. For example, a base station maynot configure a wireless device without a common search space on aPCell, or on a PSCell, in an active DL BWP.

For an UL BWP in a set of one or more UL BWPs, a base station mayconfigure a wireless device with one or more resource sets for one ormore PUCCH transmissions.

In an example, if a DCI comprises a BWP indicator field, a BWP indicatorfield value may indicate an active DL BWP, from a configured DL BWP set,for one or more DL receptions. If a DCI comprises a BWP indicator field,a BWP indicator field value may indicate an active UL BWP, from aconfigured UL BWP set, for one or more UL transmissions.

In an example, for a PCell, a base station may semi-statisticallyconfigure a wireless device with a default DL BWP among configured DLBWPs. If a wireless device is not provided a default DL BWP, a defaultBWP may be an initial active DL BWP.

In an example, a base station may configure a wireless device with atimer value for a PCell. For example, a wireless device may start atimer, referred to as BWP inactivity timer, when a wireless devicedetects a DCI indicating an active DL BWP, other than a default DL BWP,for a paired spectrum operation or when a wireless device detects a DCIindicating an active DL BWP or UL BWP, other than a default DL BWP or ULBWP, for an unpaired spectrum operation. The wireless device mayincrement the timer by an interval of a first value (e.g., the firstvalue may be 1 millisecond or 0.5 milliseconds) if the wireless devicedoes not detect a DCI during the interval for a paired spectrumoperation or for an unpaired spectrum operation. In an example, thetimer may expire when the timer is equal to the timer value. A wirelessdevice may switch to the default DL BWP from an active DL BWP when thetimer expires.

In an example, a base station may semi-statistically configure awireless device with one or more BWPs. A wireless device may switch anactive BWP from a first BWP to a second BWP in response to receiving aDCI indicating the second BWP as an active BWP and/or in response to anexpiry of BWP inactivity timer (for example, the second BWP may be adefault BWP). For example, FIG. 10 is an example diagram of 3 BWPsconfigured, BWP1 (1010 and 1050), BWP2 (1020 and 1040), and BWP3 (1030).BWP2 (1020 and 1040) may be a default BWP. BWP1 (1010) may be an initialactive BWP. In an example, a wireless device may switch an active BWPfrom BWP1 1010 to BWP2 1020 in response to an expiry of BWP inactivitytimer. For example, a wireless device may switch an active BWP from BWP21020 to BWP3 1030 in response to receiving a DCI indicating BWP3 1030 asan active BWP. Switching an active BWP from BWP3 1030 to BWP2 1040and/or from BWP2 1040 to BWP1 1050 may be in response to receiving a DCIindicating an active BWP and/or in response to an expiry of BWPinactivity timer.

In an example, if a wireless device is configured for a secondary cellwith a default DL BWP among configured DL BWPs and a timer value,wireless device procedures on a secondary cell may be same as on aprimary cell using the timer value for the secondary cell and thedefault DL BWP for the secondary cell.

In an example, if a base station configures a wireless device with afirst active DL BWP and a first active UL BWP on a secondary cell orcarrier, a wireless device may employ an indicated DL BWP and anindicated UL BWP on a secondary cell as a respective first active DL BWPand first active UL BWP on a secondary cell or carrier.

FIG. 11A and FIG. 11B show packet flows employing a multi connectivity(e.g. dual connectivity, multi connectivity, tight interworking, and/orthe like). FIG. 11A is an example diagram of a protocol structure of awireless device 110 (e.g. wireless device) with CA and/or multiconnectivity as per an aspect of an embodiment. FIG. 11B is an examplediagram of a protocol structure of multiple base stations with CA and/ormulti connectivity as per an aspect of an embodiment. The multiple basestations may comprise a master node, MN 1130 (e.g. a master node, amaster base station, a master gNB, a master eNB, and/or the like) and asecondary node, SN 1150 (e.g. a secondary node, a secondary basestation, a secondary gNB, a secondary eNB, and/or the like). A masternode 1130 and a secondary node 1150 may co-work to communicate with awireless device 110.

When multi connectivity is configured for a wireless device 110, thewireless device 110, which may support multiple reception/transmissionfunctions in an RRC connected state, may be configured to utilize radioresources provided by multiple schedulers of a multiple base stations.Multiple base stations may be inter-connected via a non-ideal or idealbackhaul (e.g. Xn interface, X2 interface, and/or the like). A basestation involved in multi connectivity for a certain wireless device mayperform at least one of two different roles: a base station may eitheract as a master base station or as a secondary base station. In multiconnectivity, a wireless device may be connected to one master basestation and one or more secondary base stations. In an example, a masterbase station (e.g. the MN 1130) may provide a master cell group (MCG)comprising a primary cell and/or one or more secondary cells for awireless device (e.g. the wireless device 110). A secondary base station(e.g. the SN 1150) may provide a secondary cell group (SCG) comprising aprimary secondary cell (PSCell) and/or one or more secondary cells for awireless device (e.g. the wireless device 110).

In multi connectivity, a radio protocol architecture that a beareremploys may depend on how a bearer is setup. In an example, threedifferent type of bearer setup options may be supported: an MCG bearer,an SCG bearer, and/or a split bearer. A wireless device mayreceive/transmit packets of an MCG bearer via one or more cells of theMCG, and/or may receive/transmits packets of an SCG bearer via one ormore cells of an SCG. Multi-connectivity may also be described as havingat least one bearer configured to use radio resources provided by thesecondary base station. Multi-connectivity may or may not beconfigured/implemented in some of the example embodiments.

In an example, a wireless device (e.g. Wireless Device 110) may transmitand/or receive: packets of an MCG bearer via an SDAP layer (e.g. SDAP1110), a PDCP layer (e.g. NR PDCP 1111), an RLC layer (e.g. MN RLC1114), and a MAC layer (e.g. MN MAC 1118); packets of a split bearer viaan SDAP layer (e.g. SDAP 1110), a PDCP layer (e.g. NR PDCP 1112), one ofa master or secondary RLC layer (e.g. MN RLC 1115, SN RLC 1116), and oneof a master or secondary MAC layer (e.g. MN MAC 1118, SN MAC 1119);and/or packets of an SCG bearer via an SDAP layer (e.g. SDAP 1110), aPDCP layer (e.g. NR PDCP 1113), an RLC layer (e.g. SN RLC 1117), and aMAC layer (e.g. MN MAC 1119).

In an example, a master base station (e.g. MN 1130) and/or a secondarybase station (e.g. SN 1150) may transmit/receive: packets of an MCGbearer via a master or secondary node SDAP layer (e.g. SDAP 1120, SDAP1140), a master or secondary node PDCP layer (e.g. NR PDCP 1121, NR PDCP1142), a master node RLC layer (e.g. MN RLC 1124, MN RLC 1125), and amaster node MAC layer (e.g. MN MAC 1128); packets of an SCG bearer via amaster or secondary node SDAP layer (e.g. SDAP 1120, SDAP 1140), amaster or secondary node PDCP layer (e.g. NR PDCP 1122, NR PDCP 1143), asecondary node RLC layer (e.g. SN RLC 1146, SN RLC 1147), and asecondary node MAC layer (e.g. SN MAC 1148); packets of a split bearervia a master or secondary node SDAP layer (e.g. SDAP 1120, SDAP 1140), amaster or secondary node PDCP layer (e.g. NR PDCP 1123, NR PDCP 1141), amaster or secondary node RLC layer (e.g. MN RLC 1126, SN RLC 1144, SNRLC 1145, MN RLC 1127), and a master or secondary node MAC layer (e.g.MN MAC 1128, SN MAC 1148).

In multi connectivity, a wireless device may configure multiple MACentities: one MAC entity (e.g. MN MAC 1118) for a master base station,and other MAC entities (e.g. SN MAC 1119) for a secondary base station.In multi-connectivity, a configured set of serving cells for a wirelessdevice may comprise two subsets: an MCG comprising serving cells of amaster base station, and SCGs comprising serving cells of a secondarybase station. For an SCG, one or more of following configurations may beapplied: at least one cell of an SCG has a configured UL CC and at leastone cell of a SCG, named as primary secondary cell (PSCell, PCell ofSCG, or sometimes called PCell), is configured with PUCCH resources;when an SCG is configured, there may be at least one SCG bearer or oneSplit bearer; upon detection of a physical layer problem or a randomaccess problem on a PSCell, or a number of NR RLC retransmissions hasbeen reached associated with the SCG, or upon detection of an accessproblem on a PSCell during a SCG addition or a SCG change: an RRCconnection re-establishment procedure may not be triggered, ULtransmissions towards cells of an SCG may be stopped, a master basestation may be informed by a wireless device of a SCG failure type, forsplit bearer, a DL data transfer over a master base station may bemaintained; an NR RLC acknowledged mode (AM) bearer may be configuredfor a split bearer; PCell and/or PSCell may not be de-activated; PSCellmay be changed with a SCG change procedure (e.g. with security keychange and a RACH procedure); and/or a bearer type change between asplit bearer and a SCG bearer or simultaneous configuration of a SCG anda split bearer may or may not supported.

With respect to interaction between a master base station and asecondary base stations for multi-connectivity, one or more of thefollowing may be applied: a master base station and/or a secondary basestation may maintain RRM measurement configurations of a wirelessdevice; a master base station may (e.g. based on received measurementreports, traffic conditions, and/or bearer types) may decide to requesta secondary base station to provide additional resources (e.g. servingcells) for a wireless device; upon receiving a request from a masterbase station, a secondary base station may create/modify a containerthat may result in configuration of additional serving cells for awireless device (or decide that the secondary base station has noresource available to do so); for a wireless device capabilitycoordination, a master base station may provide (a part of) an ASconfiguration and wireless device capabilities to a secondary basestation; a master base station and a secondary base station may exchangeinformation about a wireless device configuration by employing of RRCcontainers (inter-node messages) carried via Xn messages; a secondarybase station may initiate a reconfiguration of the secondary basestation existing serving cells (e.g. PUCCH towards the secondary basestation); a secondary base station may decide which cell is a PSCellwithin a SCG; a master base station may or may not change content of RRCconfigurations provided by a secondary base station; in case of a SCGaddition and/or a SCG SCell addition, a master base station may providerecent (or the latest) measurement results for SCG cell(s); a masterbase station and secondary base stations may receive information of SFNand/or subframe offset of each other from OAM and/or via an Xninterface, (e.g. for a purpose of DRX alignment and/or identification ofa measurement gap). In an example, when adding a new SCG SCell,dedicated RRC signaling may be used for sending required systeminformation of a cell as for CA, except for a SFN acquired from a MIB ofa PSCell of a SCG.

FIG. 12 is an example diagram of a random access procedure. One or moreevents may trigger a random access procedure. For example, one or moreevents may be at least one of following: initial access from RRC_IDLE,RRC connection re-establishment procedure, handover, DL or UL dataarrival during RRC_CONNECTED when UL synchronization status isnon-synchronized, transition from RRC_Inactive, and/or request for othersystem information. For example, a PDCCH order, a MAC entity, and/or abeam failure indication may initiate a random access procedure.

In an example embodiment, a random access procedure may be at least oneof a contention based random access procedure and a contention freerandom access procedure. For example, a contention based random accessprocedure may comprise, one or more Msg 1 1220 transmissions, one ormore Msg2 1230 transmissions, one or more Msg3 1240 transmissions, andcontention resolution 1250. For example, a contention free random accessprocedure may comprise one or more Msg 1 1220 transmissions and one ormore Msg2 1230 transmissions.

In an example, a base station may transmit (e.g., unicast, multicast, orbroadcast), to a wireless device, a RACH configuration 1210 via one ormore beams. The RACH configuration 1210 may comprise one or moreparameters indicating at least one of following: available set of PRACHresources for a transmission of a random access preamble, initialpreamble power (e.g., random access preamble initial received targetpower), an RSRP threshold for a selection of a SS block andcorresponding PRACH resource, a power-ramping factor (e.g., randomaccess preamble power ramping step), random access preamble index, amaximum number of preamble transmission, preamble group A and group B, athreshold (e.g., message size) to determine the groups of random accesspreambles, a set of one or more random access preambles for systeminformation request and corresponding PRACH resource(s), if any, a setof one or more random access preambles for beam failure recovery requestand corresponding PRACH resource(s), if any, a time window to monitor RAresponse(s), a time window to monitor response(s) on beam failurerecovery request, and/or a contention resolution timer.

In an example, the Msg1 1220 may be one or more transmissions of arandom access preamble. For a contention based random access procedure,a wireless device may select a SS block with a RSRP above the RSRPthreshold. If random access preambles group B exists, a wireless devicemay select one or more random access preambles from a group A or a groupB depending on a potential Msg3 1240 size. If a random access preamblesgroup B does not exist, a wireless device may select the one or morerandom access preambles from a group A. A wireless device may select arandom access preamble index randomly (e.g. with equal probability or anormal distribution) from one or more random access preambles associatedwith a selected group. If a base station semi-statistically configures awireless device with an association between random access preambles andSS blocks, the wireless device may select a random access preamble indexrandomly with equal probability from one or more random access preamblesassociated with a selected SS block and a selected group.

For example, a wireless device may initiate a contention free randomaccess procedure based on a beam failure indication from a lower layer.For example, a base station may semi-statistically configure a wirelessdevice with one or more contention free PRACH resources for beam failurerecovery request associated with at least one of SS blocks and/orCSI-RSs. If at least one of SS blocks with a RSRP above a first RSRPthreshold amongst associated SS blocks or at least one of CSI-RSs with aRSRP above a second RSRP threshold amongst associated CSI-RSs isavailable, a wireless device may select a random access preamble indexcorresponding to a selected SS block or CSI-RS from a set of one or morerandom access preambles for beam failure recovery request.

For example, a wireless device may receive, from a base station, arandom access preamble index via PDCCH or RRC for a contention freerandom access procedure. If a base station does not configure a wirelessdevice with at least one contention free PRACH resource associated withSS blocks or CSI-RS, the wireless device may select a random accesspreamble index. If a base station configures a wireless device with oneor more contention free PRACH resources associated with SS blocks and atleast one SS block with a RSRP above a first RSRP threshold amongstassociated SS blocks is available, the wireless device may select the atleast one SS block and select a random access preamble corresponding tothe at least one SS block. If a base station configures a wirelessdevice with one or more contention free PRACH resources associated withCSI-RSs and at least one CSI-RS with a RSRP above a second RSPRthreshold amongst the associated CSI-RSs is available, the wirelessdevice may select the at least one CSI-RS and select a random accesspreamble corresponding to the at least one CSI-RS.

A wireless device may perform one or more Msg1 1220 transmissions bytransmitting the selected random access preamble. For example, if awireless device selects an SS block and is configured with anassociation between one or more PRACH occasions and one or more SSblocks, the wireless device may determine an PRACH occasion from one ormore PRACH occasions corresponding to a selected SS block. For example,if a wireless device selects a CSI-RS and is configured with anassociation between one or more PRACH occasions and one or more CSI-RSs,the wireless device may determine a PRACH occasion from one or morePRACH occasions corresponding to a selected CSI-RS. A wireless devicemay transmit, to a base station, a selected random access preamble via aselected PRACH occasions. A wireless device may determine a transmitpower for a transmission of a selected random access preamble at leastbased on an initial preamble power and a power-ramping factor. Awireless device may determine a RA-RNTI associated with a selected PRACHoccasions in which a selected random access preamble is transmitted. Forexample, a wireless device may not determine a RA-RNTI for a beamfailure recovery request. A wireless device may determine an RA-RNTI atleast based on an index of a first OFDM symbol and an index of a firstslot of a selected PRACH occasions, and/or an uplink carrier index for atransmission of Msg1 1220.

In an example, a wireless device may receive, from a base station, arandom access response, Msg 2 1230. A wireless device may start a timewindow (e.g., ra-Response Window) to monitor a random access response.For beam failure recovery request, a base station may configure awireless device with a different time window (e.g., bfr-Response Window)to monitor response on beam failure recovery request. For example, awireless device may start a time window (e.g., ra-Response Window orbfr-Response Window) at a start of a first PDCCH occasion after a fixedduration of one or more symbols from an end of a preamble transmission.If a wireless device transmits multiple preambles, the wireless devicemay start a time window at a start of a first PDCCH occasion after afixed duration of one or more symbols from an end of a first preambletransmission. A wireless device may monitor a PDCCH of a cell for atleast one random access response identified by a RA-RNTI or for at leastone response to beam failure recovery request identified by a C-RNTIwhile a timer for a time window is running.

In an example, a wireless device may consider a reception of randomaccess response successful if at least one random access responsecomprises a random access preamble identifier corresponding to a randomaccess preamble transmitted by the wireless device. A wireless devicemay consider the contention free random access procedure successfullycompleted if a reception of random access response is successful. If acontention free random access procedure is triggered for a beam failurerecovery request, a wireless device may consider a contention freerandom access procedure successfully complete if a PDCCH transmission isaddressed to a C-RNTI. In an example, if at least one random accessresponse comprises a random access preamble identifier, a wirelessdevice may consider the random access procedure successfully completedand may indicate a reception of an acknowledgement for a systeminformation request to upper layers. If a wireless device has signaledmultiple preamble transmissions, the wireless device may stoptransmitting remaining preambles (if any) in response to a successfulreception of a corresponding random access response.

In an example, a wireless device may perform one or more Msg 3 1240transmissions in response to a successful reception of random accessresponse (e.g., for a contention based random access procedure). Awireless device may adjust an uplink transmission timing based on atiming advanced command indicated by a random access response and maytransmit one or more transport blocks based on an uplink grant indicatedby a random access response. Subcarrier spacing for PUSCH transmissionfor Msg3 1240 may be provided by at least one higher layer (e.g. RRC)parameter. A wireless device may transmit a random access preamble viaPRACH and Msg3 1240 via PUSCH on a same cell. A base station mayindicate an UL BWP for a PUSCH transmission of Msg3 1240 via systeminformation block. A wireless device may employ HARQ for aretransmission of Msg 3 1240.

In an example, multiple UEs may perform Msg 1 1220 by transmitting asame preamble to a base station and receive, from the base station, asame random access response comprising an identity (e.g., TC-RNTI).Contention resolution 1250 may ensure that a wireless device does notincorrectly use an identity of another wireless device. For example,contention resolution 1250 may be based on C-RNTI on PDCCH or a wirelessdevice contention resolution identity on DL-SCH. For example, if a basestation assigns a C-RNTI to a wireless device, the wireless device mayperform contention resolution 1250 based on a reception of a PDCCHtransmission that is addressed to the C-RNTI. In response to detectionof a C-RNTI on a PDCCH, a wireless device may consider contentionresolution 1250 successful and may consider a random access proceduresuccessfully completed. If a wireless device has no valid C-RNTI, acontention resolution may be addressed by employing a TC-RNTI. Forexample, if a MAC PDU is successfully decoded and a MAC PDU comprises awireless device contention resolution identity MAC CE that matches theCCCH SDU transmitted in Msg3 1250, a wireless device may consider thecontention resolution 1250 successful and may consider the random accessprocedure successfully completed.

FIG. 13 is an example structure for MAC entities as per an aspect of anembodiment. In an example, a wireless device may be configured tooperate in a multi-connectivity mode. A wireless device in RRC_CONNECTEDwith multiple RX/TX may be configured to utilize radio resourcesprovided by multiple schedulers located in a plurality of base stations.The plurality of base stations may be connected via a non-ideal or idealbackhaul over the Xn interface. In an example, a base station in aplurality of base stations may act as a master base station or as asecondary base station. A wireless device may be connected to one masterbase station and one or more secondary base stations. A wireless devicemay be configured with multiple MAC entities, e.g. one MAC entity formaster base station, and one or more other MAC entities for secondarybase station(s). In an example, a configured set of serving cells for awireless device may comprise two subsets: an MCG comprising servingcells of a master base station, and one or more SCGs comprising servingcells of a secondary base station(s). FIG. 13 illustrates an examplestructure for MAC entities when MCG and SCG are configured for awireless device.

In an example, at least one cell in a SCG may have a configured UL CC,wherein a cell of at least one cell may be called PSCell or PCell ofSCG, or sometimes may be simply called PCell. A PSCell may be configuredwith PUCCH resources. In an example, when a SCG is configured, there maybe at least one SCG bearer or one split bearer. In an example, upondetection of a physical layer problem or a random access problem on aPSCell, or upon reaching a number of RLC retransmissions associated withthe SCG, or upon detection of an access problem on a PSCell during a SCGaddition or a SCG change: an RRC connection re-establishment proceduremay not be triggered, UL transmissions towards cells of an SCG may bestopped, a master base station may be informed by a wireless device of aSCG failure type and DL data transfer over a master base station may bemaintained.

In an example, a MAC sublayer may provide services such as data transferand radio resource allocation to upper layers (e.g. 1310 or 1320). A MACsublayer may comprise a plurality of MAC entities (e.g. 1350 and 1360).A MAC sublayer may provide data transfer services on logical channels.To accommodate different kinds of data transfer services, multiple typesof logical channels may be defined. A logical channel may supporttransfer of a particular type of information. A logical channel type maybe defined by what type of information (e.g., control or data) istransferred. For example, BCCH, PCCH, CCCH and DCCH may be controlchannels and DTCH may be a traffic channel. In an example, a first MACentity (e.g. 1310) may provide services on PCCH, BCCH, CCCH, DCCH, DTCHand MAC control elements. In an example, a second MAC entity (e.g. 1320)may provide services on BCCH, DCCH, DTCH and MAC control elements.

A MAC sublayer may expect from a physical layer (e.g. 1330 or 1340)services such as data transfer services, signaling of HARQ feedback,signaling of scheduling request or measurements (e.g. CQI). In anexample, in dual connectivity, two MAC entities may be configured for awireless device: one for MCG and one for SCG. A MAC entity of wirelessdevice may handle a plurality of transport channels. In an example, afirst MAC entity may handle first transport channels comprising a PCCHof MCG, a first BCH of MCG, one or more first DL-SCHs of MCG, one ormore first UL-SCHs of MCG and one or more first RACHs of MCG. In anexample, a second MAC entity may handle second transport channelscomprising a second BCH of SCG, one or more second DL-SCHs of SCG, oneor more second UL-SCHs of SCG and one or more second RACHs of SCG.

In an example, if a MAC entity is configured with one or more SCells,there may be multiple DL-SCHs and there may be multiple UL-SCHs as wellas multiple RACHs per MAC entity. In an example, there may be one DL-SCHand UL-SCH on a SpCell. In an example, there may be one DL-SCH, zero orone UL-SCH and zero or one RACH for an SCell. A DL-SCH may supportreceptions using different numerologies and/or TTI duration within a MACentity. A UL-SCH may also support transmissions using differentnumerologies and/or TTI duration within the MAC entity.

In an example, a MAC sublayer may support different functions and maycontrol these functions with a control (e.g. 1355 or 1365) element.Functions performed by a MAC entity may comprise mapping between logicalchannels and transport channels (e.g., in uplink or downlink),multiplexing (e.g. 1352 or 1362) of MAC SDUs from one or differentlogical channels onto transport blocks (TB) to be delivered to thephysical layer on transport channels (e.g., in uplink), demultiplexing(e.g. 1352 or 1362) of MAC SDUs to one or different logical channelsfrom transport blocks (TB) delivered from the physical layer ontransport channels (e.g., in downlink), scheduling information reporting(e.g., in uplink), error correction through HARQ in uplink or downlink(e.g. 1363), and logical channel prioritization in uplink (e.g. 1351 or1361). A MAC entity may handle a random access process (e.g. 1354 or1364).

FIG. 14 is an example diagram of a RAN architecture comprising one ormore base stations. In an example, a protocol stack (e.g. RRC, SDAP,PDCP, RLC, MAC, and PHY) may be supported at a node. A base station(e.g. 120A or 120B) may comprise a base station central unit (CU) (e.g.gNB-CU 1420A or 1420B) and at least one base station distributed unit(DU) (e.g. gNB-DU 1430A, 1430B, 1430C, or 1430D) if a functional splitis configured. Upper protocol layers of a base station may be located ina base station CU, and lower layers of the base station may be locatedin the base station DUs. An F1 interface (e.g. CU-DU interface)connecting a base station CU and base station DUs may be an ideal ornon-ideal backhaul. F1-C may provide a control plane connection over anF1 interface, and F1-U may provide a user plane connection over the F1interface. In an example, an Xn interface may be configured between basestation CUs.

In an example, a base station CU may comprise an RRC function, an SDAPlayer, and a PDCP layer, and base station DUs may comprise an RLC layer,a MAC layer, and a PHY layer. In an example, various functional splitoptions between a base station CU and base station DUs may be possibleby locating different combinations of upper protocol layers (RANfunctions) in a base station CU and different combinations of lowerprotocol layers (RAN functions) in base station DUs. A functional splitmay support flexibility to move protocol layers between a base stationCU and base station DUs depending on service requirements and/or networkenvironments.

In an example, functional split options may be configured per basestation, per base station CU, per base station DU, per wireless device,per bearer, per slice, or with other granularities. In per base stationCU split, a base station CU may have a fixed split option, and basestation DUs may be configured to match a split option of a base stationCU. In per base station DU split, a base station DU may be configuredwith a different split option, and a base station CU may providedifferent split options for different base station DUs. In per wirelessdevice split, a base station (base station CU and at least one basestation DUs) may provide different split options for different wirelessdevices. In per bearer split, different split options may be utilizedfor different bearers. In per slice splice, different split options maybe applied for different slices.

FIG. 15 is an example diagram showing RRC state transitions of awireless device. In an example, a wireless device may be in at least oneRRC state among an RRC connected state (e.g. RRC Connected 1530,RRC_Connected), an RRC idle state (e.g. RRC Idle 1510, RRC_Idle), and/oran RRC inactive state (e.g. RRC Inactive 1520, RRC_Inactive). In anexample, in an RRC connected state, a wireless device may have at leastone RRC connection with at least one base station (e.g. gNB and/or eNB),which may have a wireless device context of the wireless device. Awireless device context (e.g. a wireless device context) may comprise atleast one of an access stratum context, one or more radio linkconfiguration parameters, bearer (e.g. data radio bearer (DRB),signaling radio bearer (SRB), logical channel, QoS flow, PDU session,and/or the like) configuration information, security information,PHY/MAC/RLC/PDCP/SDAP layer configuration information, and/or the likeconfiguration information for a wireless device. In an example, in anRRC idle state, a wireless device may not have an RRC connection with abase station, and a wireless device context of a wireless device may notbe stored in a base station. In an example, in an RRC inactive state, awireless device may not have an RRC connection with a base station. Awireless device context of a wireless device may be stored in a basestation, which may be called as an anchor base station (e.g. lastserving base station).

In an example, a wireless device may transition a wireless device RRCstate between an RRC idle state and an RRC connected state in both ways(e.g. connection release 1540 or connection establishment 1550; orconnection reestablishment) and/or between an RRC inactive state and anRRC connected state in both ways (e.g. connection inactivation 1570 orconnection resume 1580). In an example, a wireless device may transitionits RRC state from an RRC inactive state to an RRC idle state (e.g.connection release 1560).

In an example, an anchor base station may be a base station that maykeep a wireless device context (a wireless device context) of a wirelessdevice at least during a time period that a wireless device stays in aRAN notification area (RNA) of an anchor base station, and/or that awireless device stays in an RRC inactive state. In an example, an anchorbase station may be a base station that a wireless device in an RRCinactive state was lastly connected to in a latest RRC connected stateor that a wireless device lastly performed an RNA update procedure in.In an example, an RNA may comprise one or more cells operated by one ormore base stations. In an example, a base station may belong to one ormore RNAs. In an example, a cell may belong to one or more RNAs.

In an example, a wireless device may transition a wireless device RRCstate from an RRC connected state to an RRC inactive state in a basestation. A wireless device may receive RNA information from the basestation. RNA information may comprise at least one of an RNA identifier,one or more cell identifiers of one or more cells of an RNA, a basestation identifier, an IP address of the base station, an AS contextidentifier of the wireless device, a resume identifier, and/or the like.

In an example, an anchor base station may broadcast a message (e.g. RANpaging message) to base stations of an RNA to reach to a wireless devicein an RRC inactive state, and/or the base stations receiving the messagefrom the anchor base station may broadcast and/or multicast anothermessage (e.g. paging message) to wireless devices in their coveragearea, cell coverage area, and/or beam coverage area associated with theRNA through an air interface.

In an example, when a wireless device in an RRC inactive state movesinto a new RNA, the wireless device may perform an RNA update (RNAU)procedure, which may comprise a random access procedure by the wirelessdevice and/or a wireless device context retrieve procedure. A wirelessdevice context retrieve may comprise: receiving, by a base station froma wireless device, a random access preamble; and fetching, by a basestation, a wireless device context of the wireless device from an oldanchor base station. Fetching may comprise: sending a retrieve wirelessdevice context request message comprising a resume identifier to the oldanchor base station and receiving a retrieve wireless device contextresponse message comprising the wireless device context of the wirelessdevice from the old anchor base station.

In an example embodiment, a wireless device in an RRC inactive state mayselect a cell to camp on based on at least a on measurement results forone or more cells, a cell where a wireless device may monitor an RNApaging message and/or a core network paging message from a base station.In an example, a wireless device in an RRC inactive state may select acell to perform a random access procedure to resume an RRC connectionand/or to transmit one or more packets to a base station (e.g. to anetwork). In an example, if a cell selected belongs to a different RNAfrom an RNA for a wireless device in an RRC inactive state, the wirelessdevice may initiate a random access procedure to perform an RNA updateprocedure. In an example, if a wireless device in an RRC inactive statehas one or more packets, in a buffer, to transmit to a network, thewireless device may initiate a random access procedure to transmit oneor more packets to a base station of a cell that the wireless deviceselects. A random access procedure may be performed with two messages(e.g. 2 stage random access) and/or four messages (e.g. 4 stage randomaccess) between the wireless device and the base station.

In an example embodiment, a base station receiving one or more uplinkpackets from a wireless device in an RRC inactive state may fetch awireless device context of a wireless device by transmitting a retrievewireless device context request message for the wireless device to ananchor base station of the wireless device based on at least one of anAS context identifier, an RNA identifier, a base station identifier, aresume identifier, and/or a cell identifier received from the wirelessdevice. In response to fetching a wireless device context, a basestation may transmit a path switch request for a wireless device to acore network entity (e.g. AMF, MME, and/or the like). A core networkentity may update a downlink tunnel endpoint identifier for one or morebearers established for the wireless device between a user plane corenetwork entity (e.g. UPF, S-GW, and/or the like) and a RAN node (e.g.the base station), e.g. changing a downlink tunnel endpoint identifierfrom an address of the anchor base station to an address of the basestation.

A gNB may communicate with a wireless device via a wireless networkemploying one or more new radio technologies. The one or more radiotechnologies may comprise at least one of: multiple technologies relatedto physical layer; multiple technologies related to medium accesscontrol layer; and/or multiple technologies related to radio resourcecontrol layer. Example embodiments of enhancing the one or more radiotechnologies may improve performance of a wireless network. Exampleembodiments may increase the system throughput, or data rate oftransmission. Example embodiments may reduce battery consumption of awireless device. Example embodiments may improve latency of datatransmission between a gNB and a wireless device. Example embodimentsmay improve network coverage of a wireless network. Example embodimentsmay improve transmission efficiency of a wireless network.

In an example, a gNB may transmit a DCI via a PDCCH for at least one of:scheduling assignment/grant; slot format notification; pre-emptionindication; and/or power-control commends. More specifically, the DCImay comprise at least one of: identifier of a DCI format; downlinkscheduling assignment(s); uplink scheduling grant(s); slot formatindicator; pre-emption indication; power-control for PUCCH/PUSCH; and/orpower-control for SRS.

In an example, a downlink scheduling assignment DCI may compriseparameters indicating at least one of: identifier of a DCI format; PDSCHresource indication; transport format; HARQ information; controlinformation related to multiple antenna schemes; and/or a command forpower control of the PUCCH.

In an example, an uplink scheduling grant DCI may comprise parametersindicating at least one of: identifier of a DCI format; PUSCH resourceindication; transport format; HARQ related information; and/or a powercontrol command of the PUSCH.

In an example, different types of control information may correspond todifferent DCI message sizes. For example, supporting multiple beamsand/or spatial multiplexing in the spatial domain and noncontiguousallocation of RBs in the frequency domain may require a largerscheduling message, in comparison with an uplink grant allowing forfrequency-contiguous allocation. DCI may be categorized into differentDCI formats, where a format corresponds to a certain message size and/orusage.

In an example, a wireless device may monitor one or more PDCCH fordetecting one or more DCI with one or more DCI format, in common searchspace or wireless device-specific search space. In an example, awireless device may monitor PDCCH with a limited set of DCI format, tosave power consumption. The more DCI format to be detected, the morepower be consumed at the wireless device.

In an example, the information in the DCI formats for downlinkscheduling may comprise at least one of: identifier of a DCI format;carrier indicator; frequency domain resource assignment; time domainresource assignment; bandwidth part indicator; HARQ process number; oneor more MCS; one or more NDI; one or more RV; MIMO related information;Downlink assignment index (DAI); PUCCH resource indicator;PDSCH-to-HARQ_feedback timing indicator; TPC for PUCCH; SRS request; andpadding if necessary. In an example, the MIMO related information maycomprise at least one of: PMI; precoding information; transport blockswap flag; power offset between PDSCH and reference signal;reference-signal scrambling sequence; number of layers; and/or antennaports for the transmission; and/or Transmission Configuration Indication(TCI).

In an example, the information in the DCI formats used for uplinkscheduling may comprise at least one of: an identifier of a DCI format;carrier indicator; bandwidth part indication; resource allocation type;frequency domain resource assignment; time domain resource assignment;MCS; NDI; Phase rotation of the uplink DMRS; precoding information; CSIrequest; SRS request; Uplink index/DAI; TPC for PUSCH; and/or padding ifnecessary.

In an example, a gNB may perform CRC scrambling for a DCI, beforetransmitting the DCI via a PDCCH. The gNB may perform CRC scrambling bybinary addition of multiple bits of at least one wireless deviceidentifier (e.g., C-RNTI, CS-RNTI, TPC-CS-RNTI, TPC-PUCCH-RNTI,TPC-PUSCH-RNTI, SP CSI C-RNTI, or TPC-SRS-RNTI) and the CRC bits of theDCI. The wireless device may check the CRC bits of the DCI, whendetecting the DCI. The wireless device may receive the DCI when the CRCis scrambled by a sequence of bits that is the same as the at least onewireless device identifier.

In an example, in order to support wide bandwidth operation, a gNB maytransmit one or more PDCCH in different control resource sets(coresets). A gNB may transmit one or more RRC message comprisingconfiguration parameters of one or more coresets. A coreset may compriseat least one of: a first OFDM symbol; a number of consecutive OFDMsymbols; a set of resource blocks; a CCE-to-REG mapping. In an example,a gNB may transmit a PDCCH in a dedicated coreset for particularpurpose, for example, for beam failure recovery confirmation.

In an example, a wireless device may monitor PDCCH for detecting DCI inone or more configured coresets, to reduce the power consumption.

In a carrier aggregation (CA), two or more component carriers (CCs) maybe aggregated. A wireless device may simultaneously receive or transmiton one or more CCs depending on capabilities of the wireless device. Inan example, the CA may be supported for contiguous CCs. In an example,the CA may be supported for non-contiguous CCs.

When configured with a CA, a wireless device may have one RRC connectionwith a network. During an RRC connectionestablishment/re-establishment/handover, a cell providing a NAS mobilityinformation may be a serving cell. During an RRC connectionre-establishment/handover procedure, a cell providing a security inputmay be a serving cell. In an example, the serving cell may be referredto as a primary cell (PCell). In an example, a gNB may transmit, to awireless device, one or more messages comprising configurationparameters of a plurality of one or more secondary cells (SCells),depending on capabilities of the wireless device.

When configured with CA, a base station and/or a wireless device mayemploy an activation/deactivation mechanism of an SCell for an efficientbattery consumption. When a wireless device is configured with one ormore SCells, a gNB may activate or deactivate at least one of the one ormore SCells. Upon configuration of an SCell, the SCell may bedeactivated.

In an example, a wireless device may activate/deactivate an SCell inresponse to receiving an SCell Activation/Deactivation MAC CE.

In an example, a base station may transmit, to a wireless device, one ormore messages comprising an sCellDeactivationTimer timer. In an example,a wireless device may deactivate an SCell in response to an expiry ofthe sCellDeactivationTimer timer.

When a wireless device receives an SCell Activation/Deactivation MAC CEactivating an SCell, the wireless device may activate the SCell. Inresponse to the activating the SCell, the wireless device may performoperations comprising SRS transmissions on the SCell, CQI/PMI/RI/CRIreporting for the SCell on a PCell, PDCCH monitoring on the SCell, PDCCHmonitoring for the SCell on the PCell, and/or PUCCH transmissions on theSCell.

In an example, in response to the activating the SCell, the wirelessdevice may start or restart an sCellDeactivationTimer timer associatedwith the SCell. The wireless device may start the sCellDeactivationTimertimer in the slot when the SCell Activation/Deactivation MAC CE has beenreceived. In an example, in response to the activating the SCell, thewireless device may (re-)initialize one or more suspended configureduplink grants of a configured grant Type 1 associated with the SCellaccording to a stored configuration. In an example, in response to theactivating the SCell, the wireless device may trigger PHR.

In an example, when a wireless device receives an SCellActivation/Deactivation MAC CE deactivating an activated SCell, thewireless device may deactivate the activated SCell.

In an example, when an sCellDeactivationTimer timer associated with anactivated SCell expires, the wireless device may deactivate theactivated SCell. In response to the deactivating the activated SCell,the wireless device may stop the sCellDeactivationTimer timer associatedwith the activated SCell. In an example, in response to the deactivatingthe activated SCell, the wireless device may clear one or moreconfigured downlink assignments and/or one or more configured uplinkgrant Type 2 associated with the activated SCell. In an example, inresponse to the deactivating the activated SCell, the wireless devicemay further suspend one or more configured uplink grant Type 1associated with the activated SCell. The wireless device may flush HARQbuffers associated with the activated SCell.

In an example, when an SCell is deactivated, a wireless device may notperform operations comprising transmitting SRS on the SCell, reportingCQI/PMI/RI/CRI for the SCell on a PCell, transmitting on UL-SCH on theSCell, transmitting on RACH on the SCell, monitoring at least one firstPDCCH on the SCell, monitoring at least one second PDCCH for the SCellon the PCell, transmitting a PUCCH on the SCell.

In an example, when at least one first PDCCH on an activated SCellindicates an uplink grant or a downlink assignment, a wireless devicemay restart an sCellDeactivationTimer timer associated with theactivated SCell. In an example, when at least one second PDCCH on aserving cell (e.g. a PCell or an SCell configured with PUCCH, i.e. PUCCHSCell) scheduling the activated SCell indicates an uplink grant or adownlink assignment for the activated SCell, a wireless device mayrestart an sCellDeactivationTimer timer associated with the activatedSCell.

In an example, when an SCell is deactivated, if there is an ongoingrandom access procedure on the SCell, a wireless device may abort theongoing random access procedure on the SCell.

The amount of data traffic carried over cellular networks is expected toincrease for many years to come. The number of users/devices isincreasing and each user/device accesses an increasing number andvariety of services, e.g. video delivery, large files, images. Thisrequires not only high capacity in the network, but also provisioningvery high data rates to meet customers' expectations on interactivityand responsiveness. More spectrum is therefore needed for cellularoperators to meet the increasing demand. Considering user expectationsof high data rates along with seamless mobility, it is beneficial thatmore spectrum be made available for deploying macro cells as well assmall cells for cellular systems.

Striving to meet the market demands, there has been increasing interestfrom operators in deploying some complementary access utilizingunlicensed spectrum to meet the traffic growth. This is exemplified bythe large number of operator-deployed Wi-Fi networks and the 3GPPstandardization of LTE/WLAN interworking solutions. This interestindicates that unlicensed spectrum, when present, can be an effectivecomplement to licensed spectrum for cellular operators to helpaddressing the traffic explosion in some scenarios, such as hotspotareas. LAA offers an alternative for operators to make use of unlicensedspectrum while managing one radio network, thus offering newpossibilities for optimizing the network's efficiency.

In an example embodiment, Listen-before-talk (clear channel assessment)may be implemented for transmission in an LAA cell. In alisten-before-talk (LBT) procedure, equipment may apply a clear channelassessment (CCA) check before using the channel. For example, the CCAutilizes at least energy detection to determine the presence or absenceof other signals on a channel in order to determine if a channel isoccupied or clear, respectively. For example, European and Japaneseregulations mandate the usage of LBT in the unlicensed bands. Apart fromregulatory requirements, carrier sensing via LBT may be one way for fairsharing of the unlicensed spectrum.

In an example embodiment, discontinuous transmission on an unlicensedcarrier with limited maximum transmission duration may be enabled. Someof these functions may be supported by one or more signals to betransmitted from the beginning of a discontinuous LAA downlinktransmission. Channel reservation may be enabled by the transmission ofsignals, by an LAA node, after gaining channel access via a successfulLBT operation, so that other nodes that receive the transmitted signalwith energy above a certain threshold sense the channel to be occupied.Functions that may need to be supported by one or more signals for LAAoperation with discontinuous downlink transmission may include one ormore of the following: detection of the LAA downlink transmission(including cell identification) by UEs; time & frequency synchronizationof UEs.

In an example embodiment, DL LAA design may employ subframe boundaryalignment according to LTE-A carrier aggregation timing relationshipsacross serving cells aggregated by CA. This may not imply that the eNBtransmissions can start only at the subframe boundary. LAA may supporttransmitting PDSCH when not all OFDM symbols are available fortransmission in a subframe according to LBT. Delivery of necessarycontrol information for the PDSCH may also be supported.

LBT procedure may be employed for fair and friendly coexistence of LAAwith other operators and technologies operating in unlicensed spectrum.LBT procedures on a node attempting to transmit on a carrier inunlicensed spectrum require the node to perform a clear channelassessment to determine if the channel is free for use. An LBT proceduremay involve at least energy detection to determine if the channel isbeing used. For example, regulatory requirements in some regions, e.g.,in Europe, specify an energy detection threshold such that if a nodereceives energy greater than this threshold, the node assumes that thechannel is not free. While nodes may follow such regulatoryrequirements, a node may optionally use a lower threshold for energydetection than that specified by regulatory requirements. In an example,LAA may employ a mechanism to adaptively change the energy detectionthreshold, e.g., LAA may employ a mechanism to adaptively lower theenergy detection threshold from an upper bound. Adaptation mechanism maynot preclude static or semi-static setting of the threshold. In anexample Category 4 LBT mechanism or other type of LBT mechanisms may beimplemented.

Various example LBT mechanisms may be implemented. In an example, forsome signals, in some implementation scenarios, in some situations,and/or in some frequencies no LBT procedure may performed by thetransmitting entity. In an example, Category 2 (e.g. LBT without randomback-off) may be implemented. The duration of time that the channel issensed to be idle before the transmitting entity transmits may bedeterministic. In an example, Category 3 (e.g. LBT with random back-offwith a contention window of fixed size) may be implemented. The LBTprocedure may have the following procedure as one of its components. Thetransmitting entity may draw a random number N within a contentionwindow. The size of the contention window may be specified by theminimum and maximum value of N. The size of the contention window may befixed. The random number N may be employed in the LBT procedure todetermine the duration of time that the channel is sensed to be idlebefore the transmitting entity transmits on the channel. In an example,Category 4 (e.g. LBT with random back-off with a contention window ofvariable size) may be implemented. The transmitting entity may draw arandom number N within a contention window. The size of contentionwindow may be specified by the minimum and maximum value of N. Thetransmitting entity may vary the size of the contention window whendrawing the random number N. The random number N is used in the LBTprocedure to determine the duration of time that the channel is sensedto be idle before the transmitting entity transmits on the channel.

LAA may employ uplink LBT at the wireless device. The UL LBT scheme maybe different from the DL LBT scheme (e.g. by using different LBTmechanisms or parameters) for example, since the LAA UL is based onscheduled access which affects a wireless device's channel contentionopportunities. Other considerations motivating a different UL LBT schemeinclude, but are not limited to, multiplexing of multiple UEs in asingle subframe.

In an example, a DL transmission burst may be a continuous transmissionfrom a DL transmitting node with no transmission immediately before orafter from the same node on the same CC. An UL transmission burst from awireless device perspective may be a continuous transmission from awireless device with no transmission immediately before or after fromthe same wireless device on the same CC. In an example, UL transmissionburst is defined from a wireless device perspective. In an example, anUL transmission burst may be defined from an eNB perspective. In anexample, in case of an eNB operating DL+UL LAA over the same unlicensedcarrier, DL transmission burst(s) and UL transmission burst(s) on LAAmay be scheduled in a TDM manner over the same unlicensed carrier. Forexample, an instant in time may be part of a DL transmission burst or anUL transmission burst.

In an example, single and multiple DL to UL and UL to DL switchingwithin a shared gNB channel occupancy time (COT) may be supported. In anexample, gap length and/or single or multiple switching points may havedifferent LBT requirements. In an example, LBT may not be used for gapless than 16 us. One-shot LBT may be used for gap above 16 us and lessthan 25 us. In an example, for single switching point and for the gapfrom DL transmission to UL transmission exceeds 25 us, one-shot LBT maybe used; for multiple switching points, for the gap from DL transmissionto UL transmission exceeds 25 us, one-shot LBT may be used.

In an example, a signal that is detected by a wireless device with lowcomplexity may be useful for at least one of: power saving of thewireless device, improved coexistence with other systems, achievingspatial reuse at least within the same operator network, and/orperforming serving cell transmission burst acquisition, etc.

In an example, operation of new radio on unlicensed bands (NR-U) mayemploy a signal that contains at least SS/PBCH block burst settransmission. In an example, other channels and signals may betransmitted together as part of the signal. The design of this signalmay consider there is no gap within a time span the signal istransmitted at least within a beam. In an example, gaps may be neededfor beam switching.

In an example, a block-interlaced based PUSCH may be employed. In anexample, the same interlace structure for PUCCH and PUSCH may be used.In an example, interlaced based PRACH may be used.

In an example, initial active DL/UL BWP may be approximately 20 MHz for5 GHz band. In an example, initial active DL/UL BWP may be approximately20 MHz for 6 GHz band if similar channelization as 5 GHz band is usedfor 6 GHz band.

In an example, a wireless device may transmit one or more HARQ ACK/NACKbits corresponding to a data packet in a COT same as when the wirelessreceives the data packet. In an example, a wireless device may transmitone or more HARQ ACK/NACK bits corresponding to a data packet in a firstCOT different from a second COT when the wireless device receives thedata packet.

In an example, dependencies of HARQ process information to aconfigured/predefined timing relative to a received data packet may beremoved. In an example, UCI on PUSCH may carry HARQ processidentification (ID), new data indication (NDI), redundancy versionidentification (RVID). In an example, Downlink Feedback Information(DFI) may be used for transmission of HARQ feedback for configuredgrant.

In an example, a gNB and/or a wireless device may support both CBRA andCFRA on NR-U SpCell. CFRA may be supported on NR-U SCells. In anexample, RAR may be transmitted via SpCell.

In an example, carrier aggregation between a primary NR cell in licensedband (e.g., NR PCell) and a secondary NR cell in unlicensed band (e.g.,NR-U SCell) may be supported. In an example, NR-U SCell may have both DLand UL, or DL-only. In an example, dual connectivity between a primaryLTE cell in licensed band (e.g., LTE PCell) and a primary secondary NRcell in unlicensed band (e.g., NR-U PSCell) may be supported. In anexample, Stand-alone NR-U where all carriers are in unlicensed spectrummay be supported. In an example, an NR cell with DL in unlicensed bandand UL in licensed band may be supported. In an example, dualconnectivity between a primary NR cell in licensed band licensed band(e.g., NR PCell) and a primary secondary NR cell in unlicensed band(e.g., NR-U PSCell) may be supported.

In an example, a Wi-Fi system may be present in a band (e.g., sub-7 GHz)by regulation. If the Wi-Fi system is present in the band (e.g., sub-7GHz) where NR-U is operating, the NR-U operating bandwidth may be aninteger multiple of 20 MHz. In an example, at least for band whereabsence of Wi-Fi cannot be guaranteed (e.g. by regulation), LBT can beperformed in units of 20 MHz. In an example, receiver assisted LBT(e.g., request to send (RTS)/clear to send (CTS) type mechanism) and/oron-demand receiver assisted LBT (e.g., enabling receiver assisted LBTwhen needed) may be employed. In an example, techniques to enhancespatial reuse may be used. In an example, preamble detection may be usedfor unlicensed system.

In an example, to schedule uplink data packet on a PUSCH via anunlicensed carrier, a gNB may attempt to gain access to a channel totransmit a DCI via a PDCCH. In response to receiving the DCI via thePDCCH, a wireless device may perform LBT prior to transmitting datapackets on the PUSCH. Such procedure may increase latency of datatransmission especially when the channel is occupied by other devices(e.g., Wi-Fi terminals). In an example, a mechanism of autonomous uplinktransmission may be used to improve the latency of data transmission. Inan example, a wireless device may be pre-allocated a resource fortransmission similar to UL semi persistent scheduling (SPS) and performsLBT prior to using the resource. In an example, autonomous uplink may bebased on one or more configured grants f (e.g., a type 1 configuredgrant and/or a type 2 configured grant).

In an example, a HARQ process identity may be transmitted by thewireless device (e.g., as UCI). This may enable a wireless device to usethe first available transmission opportunity irrespective of the HARQprocess. In an example, UCI on PUSCH may be used to carry HARQ processID, NDI and RVID.

For unlicensed band, UL dynamic grant scheduled transmission mayincrease a transmission delay and/or transmission failure possibilitydue to at least a first LBT of a gNB and a second LBT of a wirelessdevice. Pre-configured grant such as configured grant in NR may be usedfor NR-U, which may decrease the number of LBTs performed and controlsignaling overhead.

In an example, in a Type 1 configured grant, an uplink grant is providedby RRC, and stored as configured uplink grant. In an example, in Type 2configured grant, an uplink grant is provided by PDCCH, and stored orcleared as configured uplink grant based on L1 signaling indicatingconfigured grant activation or deactivation.

In an example, there may not be a dependency between HARQ processinformation to the timing. In an example, UCI on PUSCH may carry HARQprocess ID, NDI, RVID, etc. In an example, wireless device mayautonomously select one HARQ process ID which is informed to gNB by UCI.

In an example, a wireless device may perform non-adaptive retransmissionwith the configured uplink grant. When dynamic grant for configuredgrant retransmission is blocked due to LBT, wireless device may try totransmit in the next available resource with configured grant.

In an example, Downlink Feedback Information (DFI) may be transmitted(e.g., using DCI) may include HARQ feedback for configured granttransmission. The wireless device may performtransmission/retransmission using configured grant according to DFIincluding HARQ feedback. In an example, wideband carrier with more thanone channels is supported on NR-based unlicensed cell.

In an example, there may be one active BWP in a carrier. In an example,a BWP with multiple channels may be activated. In an example, whenabsence of Wi-Fi cannot be guaranteed (e.g. by regulation), LBT may beperformed in units of 20 MHz. In this case, there may be multipleparallel LBT procedures for this BWP. The actual transmission bandwidthmay be subject to subband with LBT success, which may result in dynamicbandwidth transmission within this active wideband BWP.

In an example, multiple active BWPs may be supported. To maximize theBWP utilization efficiency, the BWP bandwidth may be the same as thebandwidth of subband for LBT, e.g., LBT is carried out on each BWP. Thenetwork may activate/deactivate the BWPs based on data volume to betransmitted.

In an example, multiple non overlapped BWPs may be activated for awireless device within a wide component carrier, which may be similar ascarrier aggregation in LTE LAA. To maximize the BWP utilizationefficiency, the BWP bandwidth may be the same as the bandwidth ofsubband for LBT, i.e. LBT is carrier out on each BWP. When more than onesubband LBT success, it requires wireless device to have the capabilityto support multiple narrow RF or a wide RF which includes these multipleactivated BWPs.

In an example, a single wideband BWP may be activated for a wirelessdevice within a component carrier. The bandwidth of wideband BWP may bein the unit of subband for LBT. For example, if the subband for LBT is20 MHz in 5 GHz band, the wideband BWP bandwidth may consist of multiple20 MHz. The actual transmission bandwidth may be subject to subband withLBT success, which may result in dynamic bandwidth transmission withinthis active wideband BWP.

In an example, active BWP switching may be achieved by use of schedulingDCI. In an example, the network may indicate to the wireless device anew active BWP to use for an upcoming, and any subsequent, datatransmission/reception. In an example, a wireless device may monitormultiple, configured BWPs to determine which has been acquired for DLtransmissions by the gNB. For example, a wireless device may beconfigured with monitoring occasion periodicity and offset for eachconfigured BWP. The wireless device may attempt to determine if a BWPhas been acquired by the gNB during those monitoring occasions. In anexample, upon successfully determining that the channel is acquired, thewireless device may continue with that BWP as its active BWP, at leastuntil indicated otherwise or Maximum Channel Occupancy Time (MCOT) hasbeen reached. In an example, when a wireless device has determined thata BWP is active, it may attempt blind detection of PDCCH in configuredCORESETs and it might also perform measurements on aperiodic or SPSresources.

In an example, for UL transmissions, a wireless device may be configuredwith multiple UL resources, possibly in different BWPs. The wirelessdevice may have multiple LBT configurations, each tied to a BWP andpossibly a beam pair link. The wireless device may be granted ULresources tied to one or more LBT configurations. Similarly, thewireless device may be provided with multiple AUL/grant-free resourceseach requiring the use of different LBT configurations. Providing awireless device with multiple AUL resources over multiple BWPs mayensure that if LBT fails using a first LBT configuration for one AULresource in one BWP, a wireless device can attempt transmission inanother AUL resource in another BWP. This may reduce the channel accesslatency and make better use of the over-all unlicensed carrier.

The carrier aggregation with at least one SCell operating in theunlicensed spectrum may be referred to as Licensed-Assisted Access(LAA). In LAA, the configured set of serving cells for a wireless devicemay include at least one SCell operating in the unlicensed spectrumaccording to a first frame structure (e.g., frame structure Type 3). TheSCell may be called LAA SCell.

In an example, if the absence of IEEE802.11n/11 ac devices sharing thecarrier cannot be guaranteed on a long term basis (e.g., by level ofregulation), and for if the maximum number of unlicensed channels thatnetwork may simultaneously transmit on is equal to or less than 4, themaximum frequency separation between any two carrier center frequencieson which LAA SCell transmissions are performed may be less than or equalto 62 MHz. In an example, the wireless device may be required to supportfrequency separation.

In an example, base station and wireless device may applyListen-Before-Talk (LBT) before performing a transmission on LAA SCell.When LBT is applied, the transmitter may listen to/sense the channel todetermine whether the channel is free or busy. If the channel isdetermined to be free/clear, the transmitter may perform thetransmission; otherwise, it may not perform the transmission. In anexample, if base station uses channel access signals of othertechnologies for the purpose of channel access, it may continue to meetthe LAA maximum energy detection threshold requirement.

In an example, the combined time of transmissions compliant with thechannel access procedure by a base station may not exceed 50 ms in anycontiguous 1 second period on an LAA SCell.

In an example, which LBT type (e.g., type 1 or type 2 uplink channelaccess) the wireless device applies may be signaled via uplink grant foruplink PUSCH transmission on LAA SCells. In an example, for AutonomousUplink (AUL) transmissions the LBT may not be signaled in the uplinkgrant.

In an example, for type 1 uplink channel access on AUL, base station maysignal the Channel Access Priority Class for a logical channel andwireless device may select the highest Channel Access Priority Class(e.g., with a lower number in FIG. 16 ) of the logical channel(s) withMAC SDU multiplexed into the MAC PDU. In an example, the MAC CEs exceptpadding BSR may use the lowest Channel Access Priority Class.

In an example, for type 2 uplink channel access on AUL, the wirelessdevice may select logical channels corresponding to any Channel AccessPriority Class for UL transmission in the subframes signaled by basestation in common downlink control signaling.

In an example, for uplink LAA operation, the base station may notschedule the wireless device more subframes than the minimum necessaryto transmit the traffic corresponding to the selected Channel AccessPriority Class or lower (e.g., with a lower number in FIG. 16 ), thanthe channel Access Priority Class signaled in UL grant based on thelatest BSR and received uplink traffic from the wireless device if type1 uplink channel access procedure is signaled to the wireless device;and/or Channel Access Priority Class used by the base station based onthe downlink traffic, the latest BSR and received UL traffic from thewireless device if type 2 uplink channel access procedure is signaled tothe wireless device.

In an example, a first number (e.g., four) Channel Access PriorityClasses may be used when performing uplink and downlink transmissions inLAA carriers. In an example in FIG. 16 shows which Channel AccessPriority Class may be used by traffic belonging to the differentstandardized QCIs. A non-standardized QCI (e.g., Operator specific QCI)may use suitable Channel Access Priority Class based on the FIG. 16 forexample, e.g., the Channel Access Priority Class used for anon-standardized QCI should be the Channel Access Priority Class of thestandardized QCIs which best matches the traffic class of thenon-standardized QCI.

In an example, for uplink, the base station may select the ChannelAccess Priority Class by taking into account the lowest priority QCI ina Logical Channel Group.

In an example, four Channel Access Priority Classes may be used. If a DLtransmission burst with PDSCH is transmitted, for which channel accesshas been obtained using Channel Access Priority Class P (1 . . . 4), thebase station may ensure the following where a DL transmission burstrefers to the continuous transmission by base station after a successfulLBT: the transmission duration of the DL transmission burst may notexceed the minimum duration needed to transmit all available bufferedtraffic corresponding to Channel Access Priority Class(es)≤P; thetransmission duration of the DL transmission burst may not exceed theMaximum Channel Occupancy Time for Channel Access Priority Class P; andadditional traffic corresponding to Channel Access Priority Class(s)>Pmay be included in the DL transmission burst once no more datacorresponding to Channel Access Priority Class≤P is available fortransmission. In such cases, base station may maximize occupancy of theremaining transmission resources in the DL transmission burst with thisadditional traffic.

In an example, when the PDCCH of an LAA SCell is configured, ifcross-carrier scheduling applies to uplink transmission, it may bescheduled for downlink transmission via its PDCCH and for uplinktransmission via the PDCCH of one other serving cell. In an example,when the PDCCH of an LAA SCell is configured, if self-scheduling appliesto both uplink transmission and downlink transmission, it may bescheduled for uplink transmission and downlink transmission via itsPDCCH.

In an example, Autonomous uplink may be supported on the SCells. In anexample, one or more autonomous uplink configuration may be supportedper SCell. In an example, multiple autonomous uplink configurations maybe active simultaneously when there is more than one SCell.

In an example, when autonomous uplink is configured by RRC, thefollowing information may be provided in an AUL configurationinformation element (e.g., AUL-Config): AUL C-RNTI; HARQ process IDsaul-harq-processes that may be configured for autonomous UL HARQoperation, the time period aul-retransmissionTimer before triggering anew transmission or a retransmission of the same HARQ process usingautonomous uplink; the bitmap aul-subframes that indicates the subframesthat are configured for autonomous UL HARQ operation.

In an example, when the autonomous uplink configuration is released byRRC, the corresponding configured grant may be cleared.

In an example, if AUL-Config is configured, the MAC entity may considerthat a configured uplink grant occurs in those subframes for whichaul-subframes is set to 1.

In an example, if AUL confirmation has been triggered and not cancelled,if the MAC entity has UL resources allocated for new transmission forthis TTI, the MAC entity may instruct a Multiplexing and Assemblyprocedure to generate an AUL confirmation MAC Control Element; the MACentity may cancel the triggered AUL confirmation.

In an example, the MAC entity may clear the configured uplink grant forthe SCell in response first transmission of AUL confirmation MAC ControlElement triggered by the AUL release for this SCell. In an example,retransmissions for uplink transmissions using autonomous uplink maycontinue after clearing the corresponding configured uplink grant.

In an example, a MAC entity may be configured with AUL-RNTI for AULoperation. In an example, an uplink grant may be received for atransmission time interval for a Serving Cell on the PDCCH for the MACentity's AUL C-RNTI. In an example, if the NDI in the received HARQinformation is 1, the MAC entity may consider the NDI for thecorresponding HARQ process not to have been toggled. The MAC entity maydeliver the uplink grant and the associated HARQ information to the HARQentity for this transmission time interval. In an example, if the NDI inthe received HARQ information is 0 and if PDCCH contents indicate AULrelease, the MAC entity may trigger an AUL confirmation. If an uplinkgrant for this TTI has been configured, the MAC entity may consider theNDI bit for the corresponding HARQ process to have been toggled. The MACentity may deliver the configured uplink grant and the associated HARQinformation to the HARQ entity for this TTI. In an example, if the NDIin the received HARQ information is 0 and if PDCCH contents indicate AULactivation, the MAC entity may trigger an AUL confirmation.

In an example, if the aul-retransmissionTimer is not running and ifthere is no uplink grant previously delivered to the HARQ entity for thesame HARQ process; or if the previous uplink grant delivered to the HARQentity for the same HARQ process was not an uplink grant received forthe MAC entity's C-RNTI; or if the HARQ_FEEDBACK is set to ACK for thecorresponding HARQ process, the MAC entity may deliver the configureduplink grant, and the associated HARQ information to the HARQ entity forthis TTI.

In an example, the NDI transmitted in the PDCCH for the MAC entity's AULC-RNTI may be set to 0.

In an example, for configured uplink grants, if UL HARQ operation isautonomous, the HARQ Process ID associated with a TTI for transmissionon a Serving Cell may be selected by the wireless device implementationfrom the HARQ process IDs that are configured for autonomous UL HARQoperation by upper layers for example, in AUL-HARQ-processes.

In an example, for autonomous HARQ, a HARQ process may maintain a statevariable e.g., HARQ_FEEDBACK, which may indicate the HARQ feedback forthe MAC PDU currently in the buffer, and/or a timeraul-retransmissionTimer which may prohibit new transmission orretransmission for the same HARQ process when the timer is running.

In an example, when the HARQ feedback is received for a TB, the HARQprocess may set HARQ_FEEDBACK to the received value; and may stop theaul-retransmissionTimer if running.

In an example, when PUSCH transmission is performed for a TB and if theuplink grant is a configured grant for the MAC entity's AUL C-RNTI, theHARQ process start the aul-retransmissionTimer.

In an example, if the HARQ entity requests a new transmission, the HARQprocess may set HARQ_FEEDBACK to NACK if UL HARQ operation is autonomousasynchronous. if the uplink grant was addressed to the AUL C-RNTI, setCURRENT_IRV to 0.

In an example, if aperiodic CSI requested for a TTI, the MAC entity maynot generate a MAC PDU for the HARQ entity in case the grant indicatedto the HARQ entity is a configured uplink grant activated by the MACentity's AUL C-RNTI.

In an example, if the wireless device detects on the scheduling cell forUL transmissions on an LAA SCell a transmission of DCI (e.g., Format0A/4A) with the CRC scrambled by AUL C-RNTI carrying AUL-DFI, thewireless device may use the autonomous uplink feedback informationaccording to the following procedures: for a HARQ process configured forautonomous uplink transmission, the corresponding HARQ-ACK feedback maybe delivered to higher layers. For the HARQ processes not configured forautonomous uplink transmission, the corresponding HARQ-ACK feedback maynot delivered to higher layers; for an uplink transmission insubframe/slot/TTI n, the wireless device may expect HARQ-ACK feedback inthe AUL-DFI at earliest in subframe n+4; If the wireless device receivesAUL-DFI in a subframe indicating ACK for a HARQ process, the wirelessdevice may not be expected to receive AUL-DFI indicating ACK for thesame HARQ process prior to 4 ms after the wireless device transmitsanother uplink transmission associated with that HARQ process;

In an example, a wireless device may validate an autonomous uplinkassignment PDCCH/EPDCCH if all the following conditions are met: the CRCparity bits obtained for the PDCCH/EPDCCH payload are scrambled with theAUL C-RNTI; and the ‘Flag for AUL differentiation’ indicatesactivating/releasing AUL transmission. In an example, one or more fieldsin an activation DCI may be pre-configured values for validation.

In an example, a Serving Cell may be configured with one or multipleBWPs. In an example, a maximum number of BWP per Serving Cell may be afirst number.

In an example, the BWP switching for a Serving Cell may be used toactivate an inactive BWP and deactivate an active BWP at a time. In anexample, the BWP switching may be controlled by the PDCCH indicating adownlink assignment or an uplink grant, by the bwp-InactivityTimer, byRRC signaling, or by the MAC entity itself upon initiation of RandomAccess procedure. In an example, upon/in response to addition of SpCellor activation of an SCell, the DL BWP and UL BWP indicated byfirstActiveDownlinkBWP-Id and firstActiveUplinkBWP-Id respectively maybe active without receiving PDCCH indicating a downlink assignment or anuplink grant. The active BWP for a Serving Cell may be indicated byeither RRC or PDCCH. For unpaired spectrum, a DL BWP may be paired witha UL BWP, and BWP switching may be common for both UL and DL.

In an example, for an activated Serving Cell configured with a BWP, if aBWP is activated, the MAC entity may transmit on UL-SCH on the BWP; maytransmit on RACH on the BWP; may monitor the PDCCH on the BWP; maytransmit PUCCH on the BWP; may transmit SRS on the BWP; may receiveDL-SCH on the BWP; and may (re-)initialize any suspended configureduplink grants of configured grant Type 1 on the active BWP according tothe stored configuration, if any, and to start in a symbol.

In an example, for an activated Serving Cell configured with a BWP, if aBWP is deactivated, the MAC entity may not transmit on UL-SCH on theBWP; may not transmit on RACH on the BWP; may not monitor the PDCCH onthe BWP; may not transmit PUCCH on the BWP; may not report CSI for theBWP; may not transmit SRS on the BWP; may not receive DL-SCH on the BWP;may clear any configured downlink assignment and configured uplink grantof configured grant Type 2 on the BWP; and may suspend any configureduplink grant of configured grant Type 1 on the inactive BWP.

In an example, upon/in response to initiation of the Random Accessprocedure on a Serving Cell, if PRACH occasions are not configured forthe active UL BWP, the MAC entity may switch the active UL BWP to BWPindicated by initialUplinkBWP and if the Serving Cell is a SpCell, theMAC entity may switch the active DL BWP to BWP indicated byinitialDownlinkBWP. The MAC entity may perform the Random Accessprocedure on the active DL BWP of SpCell and active UL BWP of thisServing Cell.

In an example, upon/in response to initiation of the Random Accessprocedure on a Serving Cell, if PRACH occasions are configured for theactive UL BWP, if the Serving Cell is a SpCell and if the active DL BWPdoes not have the same bwp-Id as the active UL BWP, the MAC entity mayswitch the active DL BWP to the DL BWP with the same bwp-Id as theactive UL BWP. The MAC entity may perform the Random Access procedure onthe active DL BWP of SpCell and active UL BWP of this Serving Cell.

In an example, if the MAC entity receives a PDCCH for BWP switching of aserving cell, if there is no ongoing Random Access procedure associatedwith this Serving Cell; or if the ongoing Random Access procedureassociated with this Serving Cell is successfully completed uponreception of this PDCCH addressed to C-RNTI the MAC entity may performBWP switching to a BWP indicated by the PDCCH.

In an example, if the MAC entity receives a PDCCH for BWP switching fora Serving Cell while a Random Access procedure associated with thatServing Cell is ongoing in the MAC entity, it may be up to wirelessdevice implementation whether to switch BWP or ignore the PDCCH for BWPswitching, except for the PDCCH reception for BWP switching addressed tothe C-RNTI for successful Random Access procedure completion in whichcase the wireless device may perform BWP switching to a BWP indicated bythe PDCCH. In an example, upon/in response to reception of the PDCCH forBWP switching other than successful contention resolution, if the MACentity decides to perform BWP switching, the MAC entity may stop theongoing Random Access procedure and may initiate a Random Accessprocedure on the new activated BWP; if the MAC decides to ignore thePDCCH for BWP switching, the MAC entity may continue with the ongoingRandom Access procedure on the active BWP.

In an example, a wireless device configured for operation in bandwidthparts (BWPs) of a serving cell, may be configured by higher layers forthe serving cell a set of at most X (e.g., four) bandwidth parts (BWPs)for receptions by the wireless device (DL BWP set) in a DL bandwidth bya parameter (e.g., BWP-Downlink) and a set of at most Y (e.g., four)BWPs for transmissions by the wireless device (UL BWP set) in an ULbandwidth by a parameter (e.g., BWP-Uplink) for the serving cell.

An initial active DL BWP may be defined by a location and number ofcontiguous PRBs, a subcarrier spacing, and a cyclic prefix, for thecontrol resource set for Type0-PDCCH common search space. For operationon the primary cell or on a secondary cell, a wireless device may beprovided an initial active UL BWP by higher layer parameterinitialuplinkBWP. If the wireless device is configured with asupplementary carrier, the wireless device may be provided an initial ULBWP on the supplementary carrier by higher layer parameter (e.g.,initialUplinkBWP) in supplementaryUplink.

In an example, if a wireless device has dedicated BWP configuration, thewireless device may be provided by a higher layer parameter (e.g.,firstActiveDownlinkBWP-Id) a first active DL BWP for receptions and by ahigher layer parameter (e.g., firstActiveUplinkBWP-Id) a first active ULBWP for transmissions on the primary cell.

In an example, for each DL BWP or UL BWP in a set of DL BWPs or UL BWPs,respectively, the wireless device may be configured the followingparameters for the serving cell: a subcarrier spacing provided by ahigher layer parameter (e.g., subcarrierSpacing); a cyclic prefixprovided by a higher layer parameter (e.g., cyclicPrefix); a first PRBand a number of contiguous PRBs indicated by a higher layer parameter(e.g., locationAndBandwidth) that is interpreted as RIV, setting N_(BWP)^(size)=275, and the first PRB is a PRB offset relative to the PRBindicated by higher layer parameters (e.g., offsetToCarrier andsubcarrierSpacing); an index in the set of DL BWPs or UL BWPs byrespective a higher layer parameter (e.g., bwp-Id); a set of BWP-commonand a set of BWP-dedicated parameters by higher layer parameters (e.g.,bwp-Common and bwp-Dedicated).

In an example, for unpaired spectrum operation, a DL BWP from the set ofconfigured DL BWPs with index provided by higher layer parameter (e.g.,bwp-Id) for the DL BWP is linked with an UL BWP from the set ofconfigured UL BWPs with index provided by higher layer parameter (e.g.,bwp-Id) for the UL BWP when the DL BWP index and the UL BWP index areequal. In an example, for unpaired spectrum operation, a wireless devicemay not expect to receive a configuration where the center frequency fora DL BWP is different than the center frequency for an UL BWP when thebwp-Id of the DL BWP is equal to the bwp-Id of the UL BWP.

In an example, for each DL BWP in a set of DL BWPs on the primary cell,a wireless device may be configured control resource sets for every typeof common search space and for wireless device-specific search space. Inan example, the wireless device may not expect to be configured withouta common search space on the PCell, or on the PSCell, in the active DLBWP.

In an example, for each UL BWP in a set of UL BWPs, the wireless devicemay be configured resource sets for PUCCH transmissions.

In an example, a wireless device may receive PDCCH and PDSCH in a DL BWPaccording to a configured subcarrier spacing and CP length for the DLBWP. A wireless device may transmit PUCCH and PUSCH in an UL BWPaccording to a configured subcarrier spacing and CP length for the ULBWP.

In an example, if a bandwidth part indicator field is configured in DCIformat 1_1, the bandwidth part indicator field value may indicate theactive DL BWP, from the configured DL BWP set, for DL receptions. In anexample, if a bandwidth part indicator field is configured in DCI format0_1, the bandwidth part indicator field value may indicate the active ULBWP, from the configured UL BWP set, for UL transmissions.

If a bandwidth part indicator field is configured in DCI format 0_1 orDCI format 1_1 and indicates an UL BWP or a DL BWP different from theactive UL BWP or DL BWP, respectively, for each information field in thereceived DCI format 0_1 or DCI format 1_1, in an example, if the size ofthe information field is smaller than the one required for the DCIformat 0_1 or DCI format 1_1 interpretation for the UL BWP or DL BWPthat is indicated by the bandwidth part indicator, respectively, thewireless device may prepend zeros to the information field until itssize is the one required for the interpretation of the information fieldfor the UL BWP or DL BWP prior to interpreting the DCI format 0_1 or DCIformat 1_1 information fields, respectively. In an example, if the sizeof the information field is larger than the one required for the DCIformat 0_1 or DCI format 1_1 interpretation for the UL BWP or DL BWPthat is indicated by the bandwidth part indicator, respectively, thewireless device may use a number of least significant bits of DCI format0_1 or DCI format 1_1 equal to the one required for the UL BWP or DL BWPindicated by bandwidth part indicator prior to interpreting the DCIformat 0_1 or DCI format 1_1 information fields, respectively. In anexample, the wireless device may set the active UL BWP or DL BWP to theUL BWP or DL BWP indicated by the bandwidth part indicator in the DCIformat 0_1 or DCI format 1_1, respectively.

In an example, a wireless device may expect to detect a DCI format 0_1indicating active UL BWP change, or a DCI format 1_1 indicating activeDL BWP change, if a corresponding PDCCH is received within the first X(e.g., 3) symbols of a slot.

In an example, for the primary cell, a wireless device may be providedby a higher layer parameter (e.g., defaultDownlinkBWP-Id) a default DLBWP among the configured DL BWPs. In an example, if a wireless device isnot provided a default DL BWP by higher layer parameterdefaultDownlinkBWP-Id, the default DL BWP may be the initial active DLBWP.

In an example, if a wireless device is configured for a secondary cellwith higher layer parameter defaultDownlinkBWP-Id indicating a defaultDL BWP among the configured DL BWPs and the wireless device isconfigured with higher layer parameter bwp-InactivityTimer indicating atimer value, the wireless device procedures on the secondary cell may besame as on the primary cell using the timer value for the secondary celland the default DL BWP for the secondary cell.

In an example, if a wireless device is configured by higher layerparameter bwp-InactivityTimer a timer value for the primary cell and thetimer is running, the wireless device may increment the timer everyinterval of 1 millisecond for frequency range 1 or every 0.5milliseconds for frequency range 2 if the wireless device does notdetect a DCI format for PDSCH reception on the primary cell for pairedspectrum operation or if the wireless device does not detect a DCIformat for PDSCH reception or a DCI format for PUSCH transmission on theprimary cell for unpaired spectrum operation during the interval.

In an example, if a wireless device is configured by higher layerparameter BWP-InactivityTimer a timer value for a secondary cell and thetimer is running, the wireless device may increment the timer everyinterval of 1 millisecond for frequency range 1 or every 0.5milliseconds for frequency range 2 if the wireless device does notdetect a DCI format for PDSCH reception on the secondary cell for pairedspectrum operation or if the wireless device does not detect a DCIformat for PDSCH reception or a DCI format for PUSCH transmission on thesecondary cell for unpaired spectrum operation during the interval. Inan example, the wireless device may deactivate the secondary cell whenthe timer expires.

In an example, if a wireless device is configured by higher layerparameter firstActiveDownlinkBWP-Id a first active DL BWP and by higherlayer parameter firstActiveUplinkBWP-Id a first active UL BWP on asecondary cell or supplementary carrier, the wireless device uses theindicated DL BWP and the indicated UL BWP on the secondary cell as therespective first active DL BWP and first active UL BWP on the secondarycell or supplementary carrier.

In an example, for paired spectrum operation, a wireless device does notexpect to transmit HARQ-ACK information on a PUCCH resource indicated bya DCI format 1_0 or a DCI format 1_1 if the wireless device changes itsactive UL BWP on the PCell between a time of a detection of the DCIformat 1_0 or the DCI format 1_1 and a time of a corresponding HARQ-ACKinformation transmission on the PUCCH.

In an example, a wireless device may not expect to monitor PDCCH whenthe wireless device performs RRM over a bandwidth that is not within theactive DL BWP for the wireless device.

In an example, a BWP IE may be used to configure a bandwidth part. In anexample, for each serving cell the network may configure at least aninitial bandwidth part comprising of at least a downlink bandwidth partand one (if the serving cell is configured with an uplink) or two (ifusing supplementary uplink (SUL)) uplink bandwidth parts. Furthermore,the network may configure additional uplink and downlink bandwidth partsfor a serving cell.

In an example, the bandwidth part configuration may be split into uplinkand downlink parameters and into common and dedicated parameters. Commonparameters (in BWP-UplinkCommon and BWP-DownlinkCommon) may be “cellspecific” and the network ensures the necessary alignment withcorresponding parameters of other UEs. The common parameters of theinitial bandwidth part of the PCell may be provided via systeminformation. In an example, the network may provide the commonparameters via dedicated signaling.

In an example, cyclic prefix may indicate whether to use the extendedcyclic prefix for this bandwidth part. If not set, the wireless devicemay use the normal cyclic prefix. Normal CP may be supported for allnumerologies and slot formats. Extended CP may be supported only for 60kHz subcarrier spacing. In an example, locationAndBanddwidth mayindicate frequency domain location and bandwidth of this bandwidth part.The value of the field may be interpreted as resource indicator value(RIV). The first PRB may be a PRB determined by subcarrierSpacing ofthis BWP and offsetToCarrier (configured in SCS-SpecificCarriercontained within FrequencylnfoDL) corresponding to this subcarrierspacing. In case of TDD, a BWP-pair (UL BWP and DL BWP with the samebwp-Id) may have the same center frequency. In an example,subcarrierSpacing may indicate subcarrier spacing to be used in this BWPfor all channels and reference signals unless explicitly configuredelsewhere. In an example, the value kHz15 may corresponds to μ=0, kHz30to μ=1, and so on. In an example, the values 15, 30, or 60 kHz may beused. In an example, bwp-Id may indicate an identifier for thisbandwidth part. Other parts of the RRC configuration may use the BWP-Idto associate themselves with a particular bandwidth part. The BWP ID=0may be associated with the initial BWP and may hence not be used here(in other bandwidth parts). The NW may trigger the wireless device toswitch UL or DL BWP using a DCI field. The four code points in that DCIfield may map to the RRC-configured BWP-ID as follows: For up to 3configured BWPs (in addition to the initial BWP) the DCI code point maybe equivalent to the BWP ID (initial=0, first dedicated=1, . . . ). Ifthe NW configures 4 dedicated bandwidth parts, they may be identified byDCI code points 0 to 3. In this case it is not possible to switch to theinitial BWP using the DCI field. In an example, bwp-Id may indicate anidentifier for this bandwidth part. Other parts of the RRC configurationmay use the BWP-Id to associate themselves with a particular bandwidthpart. The BWP ID=0 may be associated with the initial BWP and may hencemay not be used here (in other bandwidth parts). The NW may trigger thewireless device to switch UL or DL BWP using a DCI field. The four codepoints in that DCI field map to the RRC-configured BWP-ID as follows:For up to 3 configured BWPs (in addition to the initial BWP) the DCIcode point may be equivalent to the BWP ID (initial=0, firstdedicated=1, . . . ). If the NW configures 4 dedicated bandwidth parts,they may be identified by DCI code points 0 to 3. In this case it maynot be possible to switch to the initial BWP using the DCI field. In anexample, rach-ConfigCommon may indicate configuration of cell specificrandom access parameters which the wireless device may use forcontention based and contention free random access as well as forcontention based beam failure recovery. In an example, the NW mayconfigure SSB-based RA (and hence RACH-ConfigCommon) only for UL BWPs ifthe linked DL BWPs allows the wireless device to acquire the SSBassociated to the serving cell. In an example, PUCCH-config may indicatePUCCH configuration for one BWP of the regular UL or SUL of a servingcell. If the wireless device is configured with SUL, the network mayconfigure PUCCH only on the BWPs of one of the uplinks (UL or SUL).

In an example, an information element (e.g., LBT-Config) may indicateone or more parameters for listen before talk operation at the wirelessdevice. In an example, maxEnergyDetectionThreshold may indicate anabsolute maximum energy detection threshold value. In an example, theunits of maxEnergyDetectionThreshold may be in dBm. For example, value−85 may correspond to −85 dBm, value −84 may correspond to −84 dBm, andso on (e.g., in steps of 1 dBm). If the field is not configured, thewireless device shall use a default maximum energy detection thresholdvalue. In an example, energyDetectionThresholdOffset may indicate anoffset to the default maximum energy detection threshold value. The unitof energyDetectionThresholdOffset may be in dB. For example, value −13may correspond to −13 dB, value −12 may correspond to −12 dB, and so on(e.g., in steps of 1 dB). In an example, an information element (e.g.,laa-SCellSubframeConfig) may indicate a bit-map indicating unlicensedSCell subframe configuration. For example, 1 denotes that thecorresponding subframe is allocated as MBSFN subframe. The bitmap may beinterpreted as follows: Starting from the first/leftmost bit in thebitmap, the allocation applies to subframes #1, #2, #3, #4, #6, #7, #8,and #9. In an example, a cell/bandwidth part may be configured with aninformation element (e.g., CrossCarrierSchedulingConfigLAA) that mayindicate a scheduling cell ID and a CIF value. In an example, aninformation element schedulingCellId may indicate which cell signals thedownlink allocations and uplink grants, if applicable, for the concernedSCell. In case the wireless device is configured with DC, the schedulingcell may be part of the same cell group (e.g., MCG or SCG) as thescheduled cell. In case the wireless device is configured withcrossCarrierSchedulingConfigLAA-UL, schedulingCellId indicated incrossCarrierSchedulingConfigLAA-UL may indicate which cell signals theuplink grants. In an example, an information element (e.g.,cifInSchedulingCell) may indicate the CIF value used in the schedulingcell to indicate the cell.

In an example, a wireless device and a base station scheduling ULtransmission(s) for the wireless device may perform channel accessprocedures for the wireless device to access the channel(s) on which theunlicensed Scell(s) transmission(s) are performed.

In an example, the wireless device may access a carrier on whichunlicensed Scell(s) UL transmission(s) are performed according to one ofa plurality of channel access procedures. In an example, the pluralityof channel access procedures may comprise a first Type or a second TypeUL channel access procedures.

In an example, if an UL grant scheduling a PUSCH transmission indicatesa first Type channel access procedure, the wireless device may use thefirst Type channel access procedure for transmitting transmissionsincluding the PUSCH transmission.

In an example, a wireless device may use a first Type channel accessprocedure for transmitting transmissions including the PUSCHtransmission on autonomous UL resources.

In an example, if an UL grant scheduling a PUSCH transmission indicatesa second Type channel access procedure, the wireless device may use thesecond Type channel access procedure for transmitting transmissionsincluding the PUSCH transmission.

In an example and as shown in FIG. 17 , channel access procedure fortransmission of a first PUSCH may be based on a first Type channelaccess. The first Type channel access may be based on sensing thechannel for a first number of durations (e.g., CCA slots). The firstduration may have a first fixed value. The first number may be based ona random number drawn from an interval based on the priority class. Inan example, channel access procedure for transmission of a second PUSCHmay be based on a second Type channel access. The second Type channelaccess procedure may be based on sensing the channel based on a secondfixed duration.

In an example, the wireless device may use the first Type channel accessprocedure for transmitting SRS transmissions not including a PUSCHtransmission. In an example, UL channel access priority class p=1 may beused for SRS transmissions not including a PUSCH.

In an example, if the wireless device is scheduled to transmit PUSCH andSRS in subframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI n, and if the wireless device cannotaccess the channel for PUSCH transmission in subframe/slot/mini-slot/TTIn, the wireless device may attempt to make SRS transmission insubframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI n according to uplink channel accessprocedures specified for SRS transmission.

In an example, channel access priority classes and its associatedparameters are shown in FIG. 16 . In an example, for p=3,4,T_(ulm cot,p) may be 10 ms if a higher layer parameter (e.g.,absenceOfAnyOtherTechnology) indicates TRUE, otherwise, T_(ulm cot,p)may be 6 ms.

In an example, when T_(ulm cot,p) is 6 ms it may be increased to 8 ms byinserting one or more gaps. The minimum duration of a gap may be 100 μs.The maximum duration before including any such gap may be 6 ms.

In an example, if a first field (e.g., an UL duration and offset field)configures an UL offset l and an UL duration d forsubframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI n, the scheduled wireless device may use thesecond Type channel access for transmissions insubframes/slots/mini-slots/TTIs n+l+i where i=0, 1, . . . d−1,irrespective of the channel access Type signaled in the UL grant forthose subframes/slots/mini-slots/TTIs, if the end of wireless devicetransmission occurs in or before subframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI n+l+d−1.

In an example, if one or more first fields (e.g., an UL duration andoffset field) configure an UL offset l and an UL duration d forsubframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI n and one or more second fields (e.g., COTsharing indication for AUL field) are set to true, a wireless deviceconfigured with autonomous UL may use the second Type channel access forautonomous UL transmissions corresponding to any priority class insubframes/slots/mini-slots/TTIs n+l+i where i=0, 1, . . . d−1, if theend of wireless device autonomous UL transmission occurs in or beforesubframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI n+l+d−1 and the autonomous UL transmissionbetween n+l and n+l+d−1 may be contiguous.

In an example, if one or more first fields (e.g., an UL duration andoffset field) configures an UL offset l and an UL duration d forsubframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI n and one or more second fields (e.g., a COTsharing indication for AUL field) is set to false, a wireless deviceconfigured with autonomous UL may not transmit autonomous UL insubframes/slots/mini-slots/TTIs n+l+i where i=0, 1, . . . d−1.

In an example, if the wireless device scheduled to transmittransmissions including PUSCH in a set subframes/slots/mini-slots/TTIsn₀, n₁, . . . , n_(w-1) using one or more PDCCH DCI Formats and if thewireless device cannot access the channel for a transmission insubframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI n_(k), the wireless device may attempt tomake a transmission in subframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI n_(k+1) according toa channel access type indicated in the DCI, where k∈{0, 1, . . . w−2},and w is the number of scheduled subframes/slots/mini-slots/TTIsindicated in the DCI.

In an example, if the wireless device is scheduled to transmittransmissions without gaps including PUSCH in a set ofsubframes/slots/mini-slots/TTIs n₀, n₁, . . . , n_(w-1) using one ormore PDCCH DCI Formats and the wireless device performs a transmissionin subframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI n_(k) after accessing the carrieraccording to one of first Type or second Type UL channel accessprocedures, the wireless device may continue transmission insubframes/slots/mini-slots/TTIs after n_(k) where k∈{0, 1, . . . w−1}.

In an example, if the beginning of wireless device transmission insubframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI n+1 immediately follows the end of wirelessdevice transmission in subframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI n, the wirelessdevice may not be expected to be indicated with different channel accesstypes for the transmissions in those subframes/slots/mini-slots/TTIs.

In an example, if a wireless device is scheduled to transmittransmissions including a first mode PUSCH in a setsubframes/slots/mini-slots/TTIs n₀, n₁, . . . , n_(w-1) using one ormore PDCCH DCI Formats and a first Type channel access procedure, and ifthe wireless device cannot access the channel for a transmission insubframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI n_(k) according to the PUSCH startingposition indicated in the DCI, the wireless device may attempt to make atransmission in subframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI n_(k) with an offset ofo_(i) OFDM symbol and according to the channel access type indicated inthe DCI, where k∈{0, 1, . . . w−1} and i∈{0,7}, for i=0 the attempt ismade at the PUSCH starting position indicated in the DCI, and w is thenumber of scheduled subframes/slots/mini-slots/TTIs indicated in theDCI. In an example, there may be no limit on the number of attempts thewireless device should make for the transmission.

In an example, if the wireless device is scheduled to transmittransmissions including a first mode PUSCH in a setsubframes/slots/mini-slots/TTI sn₀, n₁, . . . , n_(w-1) using one ormore PDCCH DCIs and a second Type channel access procedure, and if thewireless device cannot access the channel for a transmission insubframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI n_(k) according to the PUSCH startingposition indicated in the DCI, the wireless device may attempt to make atransmission in subframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI n_(k) with an offset ofo_(i) OFDM symbol and according to the channel access type indicated inthe DCI, where k∈{0, 1, . . . w−1} and i∈{0,7}, for i=0 the attempt ismade at the PUSCH starting position indicated in the DCI, and w is thenumber of scheduled subframes/slots/mini-slots/TTIs indicated in theDCI. In an example, the number of attempts the wireless device may makefor the transmission may be limited to w+1, where w is the number ofscheduled subframes/slots/mini-slots/TTIs indicated in the DCI.

In an example, if a wireless device is scheduled to transmit withoutgaps in subframes/slots/mini-slots/TTIs n₀, n₁, . . . , n_(w-1) usingone or more PDCCH DCI Formats, and if the wireless device has stoppedtransmitting during or before subframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI n_(k1), k1∈{0,1, . . . w−2}, and if the channel is sensed by the wireless device to becontinuously idle after the wireless device has stopped transmitting,the wireless device may transmit in a later subframe/slot/mini-slot/TTIn_(k2), k2∈{1, . . . w−1} using a second Type channel access procedure.If the channel sensed by the wireless device is not continuously idleafter the wireless device has stopped transmitting, the wireless devicemay transmit in a later subframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI n_(k2), k2∈{1, . . .w−1} using a first Type channel access procedure with the UL channelaccess priority class indicated in the DCI corresponding tosubframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI n_(k2).

In an example, if the wireless device receives an UL grant and the DCIindicates a PUSCH transmission starting in subframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI nusing s first Type channel access procedure, and if the wireless devicehas an ongoing first Type channel access procedure beforesubframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI n: if a UL channel access priority classvalue p₁ used for the ongoing first Type channel access procedure issame or larger than the UL channel access priority class value p₂indicated in the DCI, the wireless device may transmit the PUSCHtransmission in response to the UL grant by accessing the carrier byusing the ongoing first Type channel access procedure.

In an example, if the wireless device receives an UL grant and the DCIindicates a PUSCH transmission starting in subframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI nusing s first Type channel access procedure, and if the wireless devicehas an ongoing first Type channel access procedure beforesubframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI n: if the UL channel access priority classvalue p₁ used for the ongoing first Type channel access procedure issmaller than the UL channel access priority class value p₂ indicated inthe DCI, the wireless device may terminate the ongoing channel accessprocedure.

In an example, if the wireless device is scheduled to transmit on a setof carriers C in subframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI n, and if the UL grantsscheduling PUSCH transmissions on the set of carriers C indicate a firstType channel access procedure, and if the same PUSCH starting positionis indicated for all carriers in the set of carriers C, or if thewireless device intends to perform an autonomous uplink transmission onthe set of carriers C in subframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI n with first Typechannel access procedure, and if the same N_(Start) ^(FS3) is used forall carriers in the set of carriers C: the wireless device may transmiton carrier c_(i)∈C using a second Type channel access procedure, if thesecond Type channel access procedure is performed on carrier c_(i)immediately before the wireless device transmission on carrier c_(j)∈C,i≠j, and if the wireless device has accessed carrier c_(j) using firstType channel access procedure, where carrier c_(j) is selected by thewireless device uniformly randomly from the set of carriers C beforeperforming the first Type channel access procedure on any carrier in theset of carriers C.

In an example, if the wireless device is scheduled to transmit oncarrier c_(i) by a UL grant received on carrier c₁, i≠j, and if thewireless device is transmitting using autonomous UL on carrier c_(i),the wireless device may terminate the ongoing PUSCH transmissions usingthe autonomous UL at least one subframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI before the ULtransmission according to the received UL grant.

In an example, if the wireless device is scheduled by a UL grantreceived on a carrier to transmit a PUSCH transmission(s) starting fromsubframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI n on the same carrier using first Typechannel access procedure and if at least for the first scheduledsubframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI occupies N_(RB) ^(UL) resource blocks andthe indicated ‘PUSCH starting position is OFDM symbol zero, and if thewireless device starts autonomous UL transmissions beforesubframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI n using first Type channel access procedureon the same carrier, the wireless device may transmit UL transmission(s)according to the received UL grant from subframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI nwithout a gap, if the priority class value of the performed channelaccess procedure is larger than or equal to priority class valueindicated in the UL grant, and the autonomous UL transmission in thesubframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI preceding subframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI n mayend at the last OFDM symbol of the subframe/slot/mini-slot/TTIregardless of the higher layer parameter AulEndingPosition. The sum ofthe lengths of the autonomous UL transmission(s) and the scheduled ULtransmission(s) may not exceed the maximum channel occupancy timecorresponding to the priority class value used to perform the autonomousuplink channel access procedure. Otherwise, the wireless device mayterminate the ongoing autonomous UL transmission at least onesubframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI before the start of the UL transmissionaccording to the received UL grant on the same carrier.

In an example, a base station may indicate a second Type channel accessprocedure in the DCI of an UL grant scheduling transmission(s) includingPUSCH on a carrier in subframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI n when the basestation has transmitted on the carrier according to a channel accessprocedure, or when a base station may indicate using the ‘UL durationand offset’ field that the wireless device may perform a second Typechannel access procedure for transmissions(s) including PUSCH on acarrier in subframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI n when the base station hastransmitted on the carrier according to a channel access procedure, orwhen a base station may indicate using the ‘UL duration and offset’field and ‘COT sharing indication for AUL’ field that a wireless deviceconfigured with autonomous UL may perform a second Type channel accessprocedure for autonomous UL transmissions(s) including PUSCH on acarrier in subframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI n when the base station hastransmitted on the carrier according to a channel access procedure andacquired the channel using the largest priority class value and the basestation transmission includes PDSCH, or when or when a base station mayschedule transmissions including PUSCH on a carrier insubframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI n, that follows a transmission by the basestation on that carrier with a duration of T_(short_ul)=25 us, ifsubframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI n occurs within the time interval startingat t₀ and ending at t₀+T_(CO), where T_(CO)=T_(m cot,p)+T₉, where t₀ maybe the time instant when the base station has started transmission,T_(m cot,p) value may be determined by the base station, T_(g) may betotal duration of all gaps of duration greater than 25 us that occurbetween the DL transmission of the base station and UL transmissionsscheduled by the base station, and between any two UL transmissionsscheduled by the base station starting from t₀.

In an example, the base station may schedule UL transmissions between t₀and t₀+T_(CO) in contiguous subframes/slots/mini-slots/TTIs if they canbe scheduled contiguously.

In an example, for an UL transmission on a carrier that follows atransmission by the base station on that carrier within a duration ofT_(short_ul)=25 us, the wireless device may use a second Type channelaccess procedure for the UL transmission.

In an example, if the base station indicates second Type channel accessprocedure for the wireless device in the DCI, the base station mayindicate the channel access priority class used to obtain access to thechannel in the DCI.

In an example, the wireless device may transmit the transmission usingfirst Type channel access procedure after first sensing the channel tobe idle during the slot durations of a defer duration T_(d); and afterthe counter Nis zero in step 4. In an example, the counter N may beadjusted by sensing the channel for additional slot duration(s)according to a procedure.

In an example, if the wireless device has not transmitted a transmissionincluding PUSCH or SRS on a carrier on which unlicensed Scell(s)transmission(s) are performed, the wireless device may transmit atransmission including PUSCH or SRS on the carrier, if the channel issensed to be idle at least in a slot duration T_(sl) when the wirelessdevice is ready to transmit the transmission including PUSCH or SRS, andif the channel has been sensed to be idle during all the slot durationsof a defer duration T_(d) immediately before the transmission includingPUSCH or SRS. If the channel has not been sensed to be idle in a slotduration T_(sl) when the wireless device first senses the channel afterit is ready to transmit, or if the channel has not been sensed to beidle during any of the slot durations of a defer duration T_(d)immediately before the intended transmission including PUSCH or SRS, thewireless device may proceeds to step 1 after sensing the channel to beidle during the slot durations of a defer duration T_(d).

In an example, the defer duration T_(d) may consist of duration T_(f)=16us immediately followed by m_(p) consecutive slot durations where eachslot duration is T_(sl)=9 us, and T_(f) may include an idle slotduration T_(q) at start of T_(f).

In an example, a slot duration T_(sl) may be considered to be idle ifthe wireless device senses the channel during the slot duration, and thepower detected by the wireless device for at least 4 us within the slotduration is less than energy detection threshold X_(Thresh). Otherwise,the slot duration T_(sl) may be considered to be busy.

In an example, CW_(min,p)≤CW_(p)≤CW_(max,p) may be the contentionwindow. In an example, CW_(min,p) and CW_(max,p) may be chosen beforethe channel access procedure. In an example, m_(p), CW_(min,p), andCW_(max,p) may be based on channel access priority class signaled to thewireless device, as shown in FIG. 16 .

In an example, if the UL wireless device uses second Type channel accessprocedure for a transmission including PUSCH, the wireless device maytransmit the transmission including PUSCH immediately after sensing thechannel to be idle for at least a sensing interval T_(short_cal)=25 us.In an example, T_(short_ul) may consists of a duration T_(f)=16 usimmediately followed by one slot duration T_(sl)=9 us and T_(f) mayinclude an idle slot duration T_(sl) at start of T_(f). The channel maybe considered to be idle for T_(short_ul) if it is sensed to be idleduring the slot durations of T_(short_ul).

In an example, if the wireless device transmits transmissions using afirst Type channel access procedure that are associated with channelaccess priority class p on a carrier, the wireless device may maintainthe contention window value CW_(p) and may adjust CW_(p) for thosetransmissions before the channel access procedure.

In an example, if the wireless device receives an UL grant or anAUL-DFI, the contention window size for the priority classes may beadjusted as following:

if the NDI value for at least one HARQ process associated withHARQ_ID_ref is toggled, or if the HARQ-ACK value(s) for at least one ofthe HARQ processes associated with HARQ_ID_ref received in the earliestAUL-DFI after n_(ref)+3 indicates ACK: for every priority classp∈{1,2,3,4} set CW_(p)=CW_(min,p). Otherwise, CW_(p) may be increasedfor every priority class p∈{1,2,3,4} to the next higher allowed value.

In an example, if there exist one or more previous transmissions {T₀, .. . , T_(n)} using the first Type channel access procedure, from thestart subframe(s)/slot(s)/mini-slot(s)/TTI(s) of the previoustransmission(s) of which, N or more subframes/slots/mini-slots/TTIs haveelapsed and neither UL grant nor AUL-DFI was received, where N=max(Contention Window Size adjustment timer X, T_(i) burst length+1) if X>0and N=0 otherwise, for each transmission CW_(p) is adjusted asfollowing:

increase CW_(p) for every priority class p∈{1,2,3,4} to the next higherallowed value; The CW_(p) is adjusted once. Otherwise if the wirelessdevice transmits transmissions using first Type channel access procedurebefore N subframes/slots/mini-slots/TTIs have elapsed from the start ofprevious UL transmission burst using first Type channel access procedureand neither UL grant nor AUL-DFI is received, the CW_(p) is unchanged.

In an example, if the wireless device receives an UL grant or an AUL-DFIindicates feedback for one or more previous transmissions {T₀, . . . ,T_(n)} using first Type channel access procedure, from the startsubframe(s)/slot(s)/mini-slot(s)/TTI(s) of the previous transmission(s)of which, N or more subframes/slots/mini-slots/TTIs have elapsed andneither UL grant nor AUL-DFI was received, where N=max (ContentionWindow Size adjustment timer X, T_(i) burst length+1) if X>0 and N=0otherwise, the wireless device may recompute CW_(p) as follows: thewireless device reverts CW_(p) to the value used to transmit at n_(T0)using first Type channel access procedure; the wireless device updatesCW_(p) sequentially in the order of the transmission {T₀, . . . ,T_(n)}. If the NDI value for at least one HARQ process associated withHARQ_ID_ref is toggled, or if the HARQ-ACK value(s) for at least one ofthe HARQ processes associated with HARQ_ID_ref received in the earliestAUL-DFI after n_(Ti)+3 indicates ACK. For every priority classp∈{1,2,3,4} set CW_(p)=CW_(min,p). Otherwise, increase CW_(p) for everypriority class p E {1,2,3,4} to the next higher allowed value.

If the wireless device transmits transmissions using first Type channelaccess procedure before N subframes/slots/mini-slots/TTIs have elapsedfrom the start of previous UL transmission burst using first Typechannel access procedure and neither UL grant nor AUL-DFI is received,the CW_(p) may be unchanged.

In an example, the HARQ_ID_ref may be the HARQ process ID of UL-SCH inreference subframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI n_(ref). The referencesubframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI n_(ref) may be determined as follows: If thewireless device receives an UL grant or an AUL-DFI insubframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI n_(g), subframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI n_(w) maybe the most recent subframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI beforesubframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI n_(g)−3 in which the wireless device hastransmitted UL-SCH using first Type channel access procedure. In anexample, if the wireless device transmits transmissions including UL-SCHwithout gaps starting with subframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI n₀ and insubframes/slots/mini-slots/TTIs n₀, n₁, . . . , n_(w) and the UL-SCH insubframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI n₀ is not PUSCH Mode 1 that starts in thesecond slot of the subframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI, referencesubframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI n_(ref) may be subframe/slot/mini-slot/TTIn₀. In an example, if the wireless device transmits transmissionsincluding a first PUSCH Mode without gaps starting with second slot ofsubframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI n₀ and in subframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI n₀,n₁, . . . , n_(w) and the, reference subframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI n_(ref)is subframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI n₀ and n₁, otherwise, referencesubframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI n_(ref) may be subframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI

In an example, HARQ_ID_ref may be the HARQ process ID of UL-SCH inreference subframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI n_(Ti). The referencesubframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI n_(Ti) may be determined as the startsubframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI of a transmission T_(i) using a first Typechannel access procedure and of which, N subframes/slots/mini-slots/TTIshave elapsed and neither UL grant nor AUL-DFI was received.

In an example, if the AUL-DFI with a first DCI format is indicated to awireless device that is activated with AUL transmission and a secondtransmission mode is configured for the wireless device for grant-baseduplink transmissions, the spatial HARQ-ACK bundling may be performed bylogical OR operation across multiple codewords for the HARQ process notconfigured for autonomous UL transmission.

In an example, if CW_(p) changes during an ongoing channel accessprocedure, the wireless device may draw a counter N_(init) and appliesit to the ongoing channel access procedure.

In an example, the wireless device may keep the value of CW_(p)unchanged for every priority class p∈{1,2,3,4}, if the wireless devicescheduled to transmit transmissions without gaps including PUSCH in aset of subframes/slots/mini-slots/TTIs n₀, n₁, . . . , n_(w-1) using afirst Type channel access procedure, and if the wireless device is notable to transmit any transmission including PUSCH in the set ofsubframes/slots/mini-slots/TTIs.

In an example, the wireless device may keep the value of CW_(p) forevery priority class p∈{1,2,3,4} the same as that for the last scheduledtransmission including PUSCH using first Type channel access procedure,if the reference subframe/slot/mini-slot/TTI for the last scheduledtransmission is also n_(ref).

In an example, if CW_(p)=CW_(max,p), the next higher allowed value foradjusting CW_(p) is CW_(max,p).

In an example, if the CW_(p)=CW_(max,p) is consecutively used K timesfor generation of N_(init),CW_(p) may be reset to CW_(min,p) for thatpriority class p for which CW_(p)=CW_(max,p) is consecutively used Ktimes for generation of N_(init). In an example, K may be selected bywireless device from the set of values {1, 2, . . . , 8} for a priorityclass p∈{1,2,3,4}.

In an example, a wireless device accessing a carrier on which LAAScell(s) transmission(s) are performed, may set the energy detectionthreshold (X_(Thresh)) to be less than or equal to the maximum energydetection threshold X_(Thresh_max).

In an example, if the wireless device is configured with higher layerparameter maxEnergyDetectionThreshold, X_(Thresh_max) may be set equalto the value signaled by the higher layer parameter. Otherwise, thewireless device may determine X′_(Thresh_max) according to a firstprocedure for determining energy detection threshold. In an example, ifthe wireless device is configured with higher layer parameterenergyDetectionThresholdOffset, X_(Thresh_max) may be set by adjustingX′_(Thresh_max) according to the offset value signaled by the higherlayer parameter. Otherwise, the wireless device may setX_(Thresh_max)=X′_(Thresh_max).

In an example, the first procedure for determining the energy detectionthreshold may be as follows: if the higher layer parameterabsenceOfAnyOtherTechnology indicates TRUE,

$X_{Thresh\_ max}^{\prime} = {\min\begin{Bmatrix}T_{\max} \\X_{r}\end{Bmatrix}}$where X_(r) is Maximum energy detection threshold defined by regulatoryrequirements in dBm when such requirements are defined, otherwiseX_(r)=T_(max). Otherwise,

${X^{\prime}\max\begin{Bmatrix}{{{- 72} + {{10 \cdot \log}\; 10\left( {{BW}\;{{MHz}/20}\mspace{14mu}{MHz}} \right)_{\leftarrow}^{\rightarrow}{dBm}}},} \\{\min\begin{Bmatrix}{T_{\max},} \\{{TA}\left( {P_{H} + {{10 \cdot \log}\; 10\left( {{BW}\;{{MHz}/20}\mspace{14mu}{MHz}} \right)_{\leftarrow}^{\rightarrow}} - P_{TX}} \right)}_{\max}\end{Bmatrix}}\end{Bmatrix}_{Thres\_ max}},$where T_(A)=10 dB, P_(H)=23 dBm; P_(Tx) may be the set to the value ofPCMAX_H,c; TdBm log 1 (3.16228·10⁻⁸ (mW/MHz)·BWMHz (MHz))_(max); BWMHzmay be the single carrier bandwidth in MHz.

The frame structure of NR in unlicensed spectrum (NR-U) may be animportant feature for fair coexistence with other RATs (e.g., LTE andWLAN) and for performance of NR-U in terms of, for example, spectrumefficiency, reliability, and latency. To have a simplified and unifiedsystem, the frame structure of NR-U may inherit features of NR inlicensed spectrum.

In an example, Maximum Channel Occupancy Time (MCOT) is defined in ETSIBRAN regulation as a total time that a wireless device may make use ofan operating channel in an unlicensed band, after which the wirelessdevice may perform a new extended CCA (for example, LBT CAT4) tocontinue using the operating channel. The concept of MCOT (also known astransmission opportunity period (TXOP) in IEEE) is further extended in3GPP eLAA and IEEE 802.11 HCCA to enable bi-directional transmissionbetween an eNB (AP) and a wireless device (STA) without performing a LBTCAT4 in MCOT. In an example, as MCOT may start at any time with variableduration, the frame structure design for NR-U may be flexible andefficient to make use of MCOT. In an example, the MCOT may be a maximumvalue of Channel Occupancy Time (COT). In an example, the MCOT may be aCOT.

In NR licensed spectrum, a self-contained slot with a bi-directionalstructure (e.g., a structure with one or more downlink resources and oneor more uplink resources as shown in FIG. 18 ) may be supported.Therefore, a bi-directional slot transmission may also be supported inNR-U. Different slot configurations may be configured for differentscenarios. It may provide more flexibility to construct a bi-directionalMCOT structure, which may include bi-directional transmission for one ormore slots in the MCOT structure. In an example, and as shown in FIG. 18, an MCOT may comprise several bi-directional slots (e.g., 4bi-directional slots). A bi-directional slot may comprise downlinksymbols/resources, uplink symbols/resources, and a gap duration. In anexample, the gap duration may comprise a guard period from downlinkreception to uplink transmission. The bi-directional slots may allow formultiple DL/UL switching points within the MCOT of NR-U, which may allowfor fast and simplified procedures of scheduling and feedback inunlicensed spectrum (e.g., including fast link adaptation and reducednumber of HARQ processes). The multiple DL/UL switching points withinthe MCOT of NR-U may also allow for more efficient resource utilizationin unlicensed spectrum.

In an example, a wireless device may benefit from the indication of theDL/UL configuration of a bi-directional MCOT. For example, byidentifying the DL portion(s) of an MCOT, a wireless device may onlymonitor the DL portion(s) of the MCOT for DL control information insteadof monitoring every slot in the MCOT to reduce power consumption. It mayalso benefit for a wireless device to average CSI measurements when thewireless device obtains the accurate position of downlink resource. Inan example, by identifying UL portion(s) of the MCOT, the wirelessdevice may be able to prepare UL data at an earlier time point and use aone-shot LBT for UL transmission within the MCOT, without per wirelessdevice signaling of LBT type. This may reduce signaling overhead.

Semi static DL/UL configuration by RRC signaling is supported in bothLTE and NR licensed spectrum. In unlicensed spectrum, it may bedesirable to vary an MCOT structure frequently due to, for example,uncertainty of an LBT result and the interference environment in theunlicensed spectrum. Therefore, semi static DL/UL configuration may notbe suitable for NR-U. Instead, a dynamic DL/UL configuration may bepreferred. To this end, an MCOT structure indication may be carried in acommon control channel, for example, as SFI in NR licensed design,and/or as a special SFI format dedicated for NR unlicensed band.

In an example, the existing slot format indication scheme may let awireless device monitor the control channel of each slot and make thewireless device with high power consumption and high complexity.Embodiments of the present disclosure provide enhanced group commoncontrol channel mechanisms to indicate an MCOT structure to a wirelessdevice. The enhanced group common control channel mechanisms mayindicate an MCOT structure to a wireless device without substantiallyincreasing power consumption and implementation complexity of thewireless device. Embodiments of the present disclosure further provideenhanced detection mechanisms for a wireless device to detect an MCOTstructure indication.

FIG. 19A illustrates slot format combinations and DCI format with slotformat combination indication in accordance with embodiments of thepresent disclosure. As shown on the left side of FIG. 19A, a pluralityof slot format combinations 0, 1, 2, . . . , m, each associated with arespective index 0, 1, 2, . . . , m, may be pre-defined or configuredfor NR-U. A slot format combination is a combination of multiple slotswith downlink and uplink resources. The slot format combinations may beconfigured to a wireless device by a base station via an RRC message.

In an example, m may be a positive integer. The value of m may beconfigured to the wireless device by the base station via an RRCmessage. The length of a slot format combination in the time domain maybe equal to the length of an MCOT in terms of OFDM symbols. A slotformat combination may comprise multiple slots or mini-slots. In anexample, a slot format combination for NR-U may be different from a slotformat combination defined for licensed carriers. In an example, a slotformat combination for NR-U may be predefined based on a slot format fora licensed carrier. In an example, a slot format combination for NR-Umay aggregate several slots with a slot format for a licensed carrier.

In an example, a gNB may select and aggregate a slot format to form oneof the slot format combinations in FIG. 19A based on channel conditionsand/or an interference environment on an unlicensed carrier. In anexample, the gNB may select and aggregate several, different slotformats to form one of the slot format combinations in FIG. 19A based onchannel conditions and/or an interference environment on the unlicensedcarrier. In general, a gNB may form a plurality of slot formatcombinations for NR-U based on channel conditions and interferenceenvironments on one or more unlicensed carriers. The plurality of slotformat combinations for NR-U may be different from legacy slot formatcombinations defined for licensed carriers.

After the plurality of slot format combinations for NR-U beingconfigured to a wireless device, a gNB may further transmit, to thewireless device, one or more message(s) comprising parameters of theplurality of slot format combinations for NR-U. For example, as shown onthe right side of FIG. 19A, the gNB may transmit a downlink controlinformation (DCI), indicating one or more of the slot formatcombinations for a plurality of cells, to the wireless device. In anexample, the plurality of cells may comprise five cells (cell 0, cell 1,cell 2, cell 3, and cell 4) as shown in FIG. 19A. The DCI may comprise anumber of bit-fields (e.g., wherein, the number is L), each with a bitlength of m-bits. The value of L may be configured to the wirelessdevice by the gNB via an RRC message.

A bit-field of the DCI may indicate a slot format combination for a MCOTassociated with a cell. For example, as shown in FIG. 19A, bit-field 1may indicate a slot format combination, identified by a slot formatcombination index (e.g., index 0), for a MCOT associated with cell 0.Bit-field 4 may indicate a slot format combination, identified by a slotformat combination index (e.g., index 2), for a MCOT associated withcell 1. Bit-field 2 may indicate a slot format combination, identifiedby a slot format combination index (e.g., index 5), for a MCOTassociated with cell 2. Bit-field 0 may indicate a slot formatcombination identified by a slot format combination index (e.g., index3) for a MCOT associated with cell 3. Finally, bit-field 3 may indicatea slot format combination, identified by a slot format combination index(e.g., index 2), for a MCOT associated with cell 4. In an example, anassociation between a position/location of a bit-field in the DCI and acell may be configured to the wireless device by the base station via anRRC message.

In an example, the DCI indicating a slot format combination for a MCOTassociated with a cell, may be a group common DCI. The gNB may transmitthe DCI indicating the slot format combination for the MCOT of the cellvia a group common PDCCH. A group of wireless devices may receive theDCI indicating the slot format combination for the MCOT of the cell. Inan example, the DCI indicating the slot format combination for the MCOTof the cell may be scrambled by a value of a maximum channel occupancytime-radio network temporary identifier (MCOT-RNTI) or COT-RNTI. In anexample, the MCOT-RNTI (or COT-RNTI) may be a group common RNTI designedfor MCOT structure. In an example, the MCOT-RNTI may be SFI-RNTI as inlicensed carrier. The group of wireless devices may detect the DCIindicating the slot format combination for the MCOT of the cell based onthe MCOT-RNTI. The value of MCOT-RNTI (or COT-RNTI) may be configured tothe wireless device by the base station via an RRC message.

FIG. 20 illustrates an example transmission/reception of RRC message(s)and downlink control information in accordance with embodiments of thepresent disclosure. As shown in FIG. 20 , a wireless device may receiveRRC message(s) comprising slot format combinations, a value ofMCOT-RNTI, and an indication of a bit-field position in a DCI for aconfigured carrier or cell. The wireless device may receive the DCI froma gNB. The DCI may comprise a downlink grant (or downlink assignment),an uplink grant, or control information transmitted in a group commonPDCCH. The DCI may have a structure as shown in FIG. 19A. In response toreceiving the DCI, the wireless device may determine one or more MCOTstructures for multiple cells (e.g., each of the multiple cells may beassociated with one of the one or more MCOT structures) based on the DCIas described with respect to FIG. 19A.

Referring to FIG. 19B, an example timeline of a procedure of a wirelessdevice determining an MCOT structure is illustrated in accordance withembodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 19B, a gNB maytransmit one or more RRC messages to the wireless device. The one ormore RRC messages may comprise parameters of a plurality of slot formatcombinations, a value of MCOT-RNTI, and bit-field position indicationsfor a plurality of cells.

The gNB may transmit a DCI scrambled by the value of MCOT-RNTI to thewireless device. The DCI may comprise a plurality of bit-fields. Eachbit-field may indicate a slot format combination for a MCOT of a cellassociated with the particular bit-field as described with respect toFIG. 19A. The wireless device may monitor a PDCCH for detecting the DCIscrambled with the MCOT-RNTI value. In an example, the wireless devicemay receive the DCI n million seconds after receiving the one or moreRRC messages from the gNB, where n may be determined by the gNBimplementation.

In response to detecting the DCI, the wireless device may determine oneor more MCOT structures for the plurality of cells based on the slotformat combinations indicated by the plurality of bit-fields of the DCI.In an example, the wireless device may perform this determination atleast k million seconds after receiving the DCI, where k may bedetermined by the wireless device capability.

In an example, in response to determining a MCOT structure of a cell, awireless device may determine configuration of uplink and downlinksymbols/resources based on the MCOT structure of the cell. The wirelessdevice may perform an LBT procedure before an uplink transmission on thecell based on the MCOT structure. The wireless device may perform theLBT with a LBT type indicated by a gNB. The wireless device may receivedata in downlink symbols in the MCOT based on the MCOT structure. Thewireless device may skip PDCCH monitoring on some slots based on theMCOT structure.

FIGS. 21A-21C illustrate examples of MCOT structure indicationtransmissions in PDCCH in accordance with embodiments of the presentdisclosure. In an example, as shown in FIG. 21A, a gNB may transmit aDCI with an MCOT structure indication at the beginning of a MCOT. Thewireless device may skip the PDCCH monitoring for the following slotsafter obtaining the MCOT structure at the beginning the MCOT. In anexample, as shown in FIG. 21B, the gNB may transmit a DCI with an MCOTstructure indication at multiple positions of the MCOT. For example, asshown in FIG. 21B, the gNB may transmit the DCI with the MCOT structureindication in each slot of the MCOT. In an example, the multiplepositions at which the MCOT structure indication is transmitted in theMCOT may comprise multiple frequency domain positions and/or multipletime domain positions (e.g., in different sub-bands or bandwidth partsand in different time slots). In an example, as shown in FIG. 21C, thegNB may transmit a DCI with an MCOT structure indication in accordancewith a configured periodicity during the MCOT. The periodicity lengthand offset may be configured to the wireless device via an RRC message.

In an example, the wireless device may receive one or more messagescomprising configuration parameters of a plurality of unlicensed cells.The configuration parameters may comprise: a plurality of slot formatcombinations of a cell, a value of maximum channel occupancy time(MCOT)-Radio Network Temporary Identifier (RNTI) (MCOT-RNTI), and aposition, in a downlink control information (DCI), for the cell. In anexample, the wireless device may receive the DCI scrambled by the valueof the MCOT-RNTI. In an example, the wireless device may determine aMCOT structure based on one of the plurality of slot format combinationsindicated by a value at the position in the DCI. In an example, thewireless device may transmit data on uplink resources according to theMCOT structure. In an example, the receiving the DCI scrambled by thevalue of the MCOT-RNTI may comprise receiving the DCI at the beginningof the maximum channel occupancy time (MCOT). In an example, thereceiving the DCI scrambled by the value of the MCOT-RNTI may comprisereceiving the DCI at multiple positions of the maximum channel occupancytime (MCOT). In an example, the multiple positions of the maximumchannel occupancy time (MCOT) may comprise multiple time domainpositions and multiple frequency domain positions in the MCOT. In anexample, the receiving the DCI scrambled by the value of the MCOT-RNTImay comprise receiving the DCI with a configured periodicity. In anexample, the receiving the DCI scrambled by the value of the MCOT-RNTImay comprise: monitoring physical downlink control channel (PDCCH)indicating the maximum channel occupancy time (MCOT) structure anddecoding the candidate PDCCH with cyclic redundancy check (CRC)scrambled by the value of the MCOT-RNTI. In an example, the determiningthe MCOT structure may comprise determining each slot format based onthe MCOT structure; In an example, the transmitting data may comprisetransmitting PUSCH, PUCCH or SRS. In an example, the wireless device mayreceive PDCCH, PDSCH, or SSB/PBCH on downlink resources according to theMCOT structure.

FIG. 22A illustrates slot format combinations and a DCI format with slotformat combination indications in accordance with embodiments of thepresent disclosure. As shown on the left side of FIG. 22A, a pluralityof slot format combinations 0, 1, 2, . . . , m, each associated with arespective index 0, 1, 2, . . . , m, may be pre-defined or configuredfor NR-U. A slot format combination is a combination of multiple slotswith downlink and uplink resources. The slot format combinations may beconfigured to a wireless device by a base station via an RRC message.

In an example, m is a positive integer. The value of m may be configuredto the wireless device via an RRC message. The length of a slot formatcombination in the time domain may be equal to the length of an MCOT interms of OFDM symbols. A slot format combination may comprise multipleslots or mini-slots. In an example, a slot format combination for NR-Umay be different from a slot format combination defined for licensedcarriers. In an example, a slot format combination for NR-U may bepredefined based on a slot format for a licensed carrier. In an example,a slot format combination for NR-U may aggregate several slots with aslot format for a licensed carrier.

In an example, a gNB may select and aggregate a slot format to form oneof the slot format combinations in FIG. 22A based on channel conditionsand/or an interference environment on an unlicensed carrier. In anexample, the gNB may select and aggregate several, different slotformats to form one of the slot format combinations in FIG. 22A based onchannel conditions and/or an interference environment on an unlicensedcarrier. In general, a gNB may form a plurality of slot formatcombinations for NR-U based on channel conditions and interferenceenvironments on one or more unlicensed carriers. The plurality of slotformat combinations for NR-U may be different from slot formatcombinations defined for licensed carriers.

After the plurality of slot format combinations for NR-U beingconfigured to a wireless device, a gNB may transmit one or more messagesto the wireless device. The one or more messages may comprise parametersof the plurality of slot format combinations for NR-U. For example, asshown on the right side of FIG. 22A, the gNB may transmit a downlinkcontrol information (DCI), indicating one or more of the slot formatcombinations for a plurality of cells, to the wireless device. In anexample, the plurality of cells may comprise five cells (cell 0, cell 1,cell 2, cell 3, and cell 4) as shown in FIG. 22A. The DCI may comprise anumber of bit-fields (e.g., wherein, the number is L), each with a bitlength of m-bits. The value of L may be configured to the wirelessdevice by the gNB via an RRC message.

A bit-field of the DCI may indicate a slot format combination for a MCOTassociated with a cell. For example, as shown in FIG. 22A, bit-field 1may indicate a slot format combination, identified by a slot formatcombination index (e.g., index 0), for a MCOT associated with cell 0.Bit-field 4 may indicate a slot format combination, identified by a slotformat combination index (e.g., index 2), for a MCOT associated withcell 1. Bit-field 2 may indicate a slot format combination, identifiedby a slot format combination index (e.g., index 5), for a MCOTassociated with cell 2. Bit-field 0 may indicate a slot formatcombination identified by a slot format combination index (e.g., index3) for a MCOT associated with cell 3. Finally, bit-field 3 may indicatea slot format combination, identified by a slot format combination index(e.g., index 2), for a MCOT associated with cell 4. In an example, anassociation between a position/location of a bit-field in the DCI and acell may be configured to the wireless device via an RRC message.

In an example, the DCI indicating a slot format combination for a MCOTassociated with a cell may be a group common DCI (e.g., via a groupcommon PDCCH). The gNB may transmit the DCI indicating the slot formatcombination for the MCOT of the cell via a group common PDCCH. A groupof wireless devices may receive the DCI indicating the slot formatcombination for the MCOT of the cell. In an example, the DCI indicatingthe slot format combination for the MCOT of the cell may be scrambled bya value of a maximum channel occupancy time-radio network temporaryidentifier (MCOT-RNTI) (or COT-RNTI). In an example, the MCOT-RNTI maybe a group common RNTI designed for MCOT structure. In another example,the MCOT-RNTI may be SFI-RNTI as in licensed carrier. The group ofwireless devices may detect the DCI indicating the slot formatcombination for the MCOT of the cell based on the MCOT-RNTI. The valueof MCOT-RNTI (or COT-RNTI) may be configured to the wireless device bythe gNB via an RRC message.

FIG. 20 illustrates example transmission/reception of RRC message(s) anddownlink control information in accordance with embodiments of thepresent disclosure. As shown in FIG. 20 , a wireless device may receiveRRC message(s) comprising slot format combinations, a value ofMCOT-RNTI, and an indication of a bit-field position in a DCI for aconfigured carrier or cell. The wireless device may receive a DCI from agNB. The DCI may comprise a downlink grant (or downlink assignment), anuplink grant, or control information transmitted in a group commonPDCCH. The DCI may have a structure as shown in FIG. 22A. In response toreceiving the DCI, the wireless device may determine one or more MCOTstructures for multiple cells based on the DCI as described with respectto FIG. 22A.

Referring to FIG. 22B, an example timeline of a procedure of a wirelessdevice determining a MCOT structure is illustrated in accordance withembodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 22B, a gNB maytransmit one or more RRC messages to the wireless device. The one ormore RRC messages may comprise parameters of a plurality of slot formatcombinations, a value of MCOT-RNTI, and bit-field position indicationsfor a plurality of cells.

The gNB may transmit to the wireless device a DCI scrambled by the valueof MCOT-RNTI. The DCI may comprise a plurality of bit-fields. Eachbit-field may indicate a slot format combination for a MCOT of a cellassociated with the particular bit-field as described with respect toFIG. 22A. The wireless device may monitor a PDCCH for detecting the DCIscrambled with the MCOT-RNTI value. In an example, the wireless devicemay receive the DCI n million seconds after receiving the one or moreRRC messages from the gNB, where n may be determined by the gNBimplementation.

In an example, the DCI may comprise a signature bit as shown in FIG.22A. In response to detecting the DCI, the wireless device may determinethe one or more MCOT structures for the plurality of cells based on thesignature bit and the slot format combinations indicated by theplurality of bit-fields of the DCI. In an example, the wireless devicemay perform the determination at least k million seconds after receivingthe DCI, where k may be determined by the wireless device capability. Inan example, when the signature bit value is 0, the DCI may indicate thelegacy slot format. In an example, when the signature bit value is 1,the DCI may indicate the maximum channel occupancy time (MCOT)structures. In an example, when the signature bit value is 1, the DCImay indicate the legacy slot format. In an example, when the signaturebit value is 0, the DCI may indicate the maximum channel occupancy time(MCOT) structures.

In an example, in response to determining a MCOT structure of a cell, awireless device may determine configuration of uplink and downlinksymbols/resources based on the MCOT structure of the cell. The wirelessdevice may perform an LBT procedure before an uplink transmission on thecell based on the MCOT structure. The wireless device may perform theLBT with a LBT type indicated by a gNB. The wireless device may receivedata in downlink symbols in the MCOT based on the MCOT structure. Thewireless device may skip PDCCH monitoring on some slots based on theMCOT structure.

FIGS. 21A-21C illustrate examples of MCOT structure indicationtransmissions in PDCCH in accordance with embodiments of the presentdisclosure. In an example, as shown in FIG. 21A, a gNB may transmit aDCI with an MCOT structure indication at the beginning of a MCOT. Thewireless device may skip the PDCCH monitoring for the following slotsafter obtaining the MCOT structure at the beginning the MCOT. In anexample, as shown in FIG. 21B, the gNB may transmit a DCI with an MCOTstructure indication at multiple positions of the MCOT. For example, asshown in FIG. 21B, the gNB may transmit the DCI with the MCOT structureindication in each slot of the MCOT. In an example, the multiplepositions at which the MCOT structure indication is transmitted in theMCOT may comprise multiple frequency domain positions and/or multipletime domain positions (e.g., in different sub-bands or bandwidth partsand in different time slots). In an example, as shown in FIG. 21C, thegNB may transmit a DCI with an MCOT structure indication in accordancewith a configured periodicity during the MCOT. The periodicity lengthand offset may be configured to the wireless device via an RRC message.

In an example, the wireless device may receive one or more messagescomprising configuration parameters of a plurality of unlicensed cells.The configuration parameters may comprise: a plurality of slot formatcombinations of the cell, a value of maximum channel occupancy time(MCOT)-Radio Network Temporary Identifier (RNTI) (MCOT-RNTI), and aposition, in a downlink control information (DCI), for the cell. In anexample, the wireless device may receive the DCI scrambled by the valueof the MCOT-RNTI. In an example, the wireless device may determine aMCOT structure based on a signature bit and one of the plurality of slotformat combinations indicated by a value at the position in the DCI. Inan example, the wireless device may transmit data on uplink resourcesaccording to the MCOT structure. In an example, the receiving the DCIscrambled by the value of the MCOT-RNTI may comprise receiving the DCIat the beginning of the maximum channel occupancy time (MCOT). In anexample, the receiving the DCI scrambled by the value of the MCOT-RNTImay comprise receiving the DCI at multiple positions of the maximumchannel occupancy time (MCOT). In an example, the multiple positions ofthe maximum channel occupancy time (MCOT) may comprise multiple timedomain positions and multiple frequency domain positions in the MCOT. Inan example, the receiving the DCI scrambled by the value of theMCOT-RNTI may comprise receiving the DCI with a configured periodicity.In an example, the receiving the DCI scrambled by the value of theMCOT-RNTI may comprise: monitoring physical downlink control channel(PDCCH) indicating the maximum channel occupancy time (MCOT) structureand decoding the candidate PDCCH with cyclic redundancy check (CRC)scrambled by the value of the MCOT-RNTI. In an example, the determiningthe MCOT structure may comprise: when the signature bit value is 0, theDCI may indicate the legacy slot format; when the signature bit value is1, the DCI may indicate the maximum channel occupancy time (MCOT)structure. In an example, the determining the MCOT structure maycomprise: when the signature bit value is 1, the DCI may indicate thelegacy slot format; when the signature bit value is 0, the DCI mayindicate the maximum channel occupancy time (MCOT) structure. In anexample, the determining the MCOT structure may comprise determiningeach slot format based on the MCOT structure; In an example, thetransmitting data may comprise transmitting PUSCH, PUCCH or SRS. In anexample, the wireless device may receive PDCCH, PDSCH, or SSB/PBCH ondownlink resources according to the MCOT structure.

FIG. 23A illustrates slot format combinations and a DCI format with slotformat combination indications in accordance with embodiments of thepresent disclosure. As shown on the left side of FIG. 23A, a pluralityof slot format combinations 0, 1, 2, . . . , m, each associated with arespective index 0, 1, 2, . . . , m, may be pre-defined or configuredfor NR-U. A slot format combination is a combination of multiple slotswith downlink and/or uplink resources. The slot format combinations maybe configured to a wireless device by a base station via an RRC message.

In an example, m may be a positive integer. The value of m may beconfigured to the wireless device by the base station via an RRCmessage. The length of a slot format combination in the time domain maybe equal to the length of an MCOT in terms of OFDM symbols. A slotformat combination may comprise multiple slots or mini-slots. In anexample, a slot format combination for NR-U may be different from a slotformat combination defined for licensed carriers. In an example, a slotformat combination for NR-U may be predefined based on a slot format fora licensed carrier. In an example, a slot format combination for NR-Umay aggregate several slots with a slot format for the licensed carrier.

In an example, a gNB may select and aggregate a slot format to form oneof the slot format combinations in FIG. 23A based on channel conditionsand/or an interference environment on an unlicensed carrier. In anexample, the gNB may select and aggregate several different slot formatsto form one of the slot format combinations in FIG. 23A based on channelconditions and/or an interference environment on the unlicensed carrier.In general, a gNB may form a plurality of slot format combinations forNR-U based on channel conditions and interference environments on one ormore unlicensed carriers. The plurality of slot format combinations forNR-U may be different from slot format combinations defined for licensedcarriers.

After the plurality of slot format combinations for NR-U beingconfigured to a wireless device by a gNB, the gNB may transmit, to thewireless device, one or more messages comprising parameters of theplurality of slot format combinations for NR-U. For example, as shown onthe right side of FIG. 23A, the gNB may transmit a downlink controlinformation (DCI), following a preamble transmission, to the wirelessdevice, the DCI indicating one or more of the slot format combinationsfor a plurality of cells. In an example, the plurality of cells maycomprise five cells (cell 0, cell 1, cell 2, cell 3, and cell 4) asshown in FIG. 23A. The DCI may comprise a number of bit-fields (e.g.,wherein, the number is L), each with a bit length of m-bits. The valueof L may be configured to the wireless device by the gNB via an RRCmessage. In an example, the preamble may be designed for the wirelessdevice to identify a MCOT structure indication transmission on theplurality of cells.

A bit-field of the DCI may indicate a slot format combination for a MCOTassociated with a cell. For example, as shown in FIG. 23A, bit-field 1may indicate a slot format combination, identified by a slot formatcombination index (e.g., index 0), for a MCOT associated with cell 0.Bit-field 4 may indicate a slot format combination, identified by a slotformat combination index (e.g., index 2), for a MCOT associated withcell 1. Bit-field 2 may indicate a slot format combination, identifiedby a slot format combination index (e.g., index 5), for a MCOTassociated with cell 2. Bit-field 0 may indicate a slot formatcombination identified by a slot format combination index (e.g., index3) for a MCOT associated with cell 3. Finally, bit-field 3 may indicatea slot format combination, identified by a slot format combination index(e.g., index 2), for a MCOT associated with cell 4. In an example, anassociation between a position/location of a bit-field in the DCI and acell may be configured to the wireless device by the gNB via an RRCmessage.

In an example, the DCI indicating a slot format combination for a MCOTassociated with a cell, may be a group common DCI. The gNB may transmitthe DCI indicating the slot format combination for the MCOT of the cellvia a group common PDCCH. A group of wireless devices may receive theDCI indicating the slot format combination for the MCOT of the cell. Inan example, the DCI indicating the slot format combination for the MCOTof the cell may be scrambled by a value of a maximum channel occupancytime-radio network temporary identifier (MCOT-RNTI) (or COT-RNTI). In anexample, the MCOT-RNTI may be a group common RNTI designed for MCOTstructure. In an example, the MCOT-RNTI may be SFI-RNTI as in licensedcarrier. The group of wireless devices may detect the DCI indicating theslot format combination for the MCOT of the cell based on the MCOT-RNTI.The value of MCOT-RNTI (or COT-RNTI) may be configured to the wirelessdevice by the gNB via an RRC message.

FIG. 20 illustrates example transmission/reception of RRC message(s) anddownlink control information in accordance with embodiments of thepresent disclosure. As shown in FIG. 20, a wireless device may receiveRRC message(s) comprising slot format combinations, a value ofMCOT-RNTI, and an indication of a bit-field position in a DCI for aconfigured carrier or cell. The wireless device may receive a DCI from agNB. The DCI may comprise a downlink grant (or downlink assignment), anuplink grant, or control information transmitted in a group commonPDCCH. The DCI may have a structure as shown in FIG. 23A. In response toreceiving the DCI, the wireless device may determine one or more MCOTstructures for multiple cells based on the DCI as described with respectto FIG. 23A.

Referring to FIG. 23B, an example timeline of a procedure of a wirelessdevice determining an MCOT structure is illustrated in accordance withembodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 23B, a gNB maytransmit, to a wireless device, one or more RRC messages comprisingparameters of a plurality of slot format combinations, a value ofMCOT-RNTI, and bit-field position indications for a plurality of cells.

The gNB may transmit to the wireless device a DCI scrambled by the valueof MCOT-RNTI. The DCI may comprise a plurality of bit-fields. Eachbit-field may indicate a slot format combination for a MCOT of a cellassociated with the particular bit-field as described with respect toFIG. 23A. The wireless device may monitor a PDCCH for detecting the DCIscrambled with the MCOT-RNTI. In an example, the wireless device mayreceive the DCI n million seconds after receiving the one or more RRCmessages from the gNB, where n may be determined by the gNBimplementation.

In response to detecting the DCI, the wireless device may determine theone or more MCOT structures for the plurality of cells based on apreamble and the slot format combinations indicated by the plurality ofbit-fields of the DCI. In an example, the wireless device may performthe determination at least k million seconds after receiving the DCI,where k may be determined by the wireless device capability. In anexample, the preamble may be followed by the DCI. The preamble may bedesigned for the wireless device to identify a MCOT transmission.

In an example, in response to determining a MCOT structure of a cell, awireless device may determine a configuration of uplink and downlinksymbols/resources based on the MCOT structure of the cell. The wirelessdevice may perform an LBT procedure before an uplink transmission on thecell based on the MCOT structure. The wireless device may perform theLBT with an LBT type indicated by a gNB. The wireless device may receivedata in downlink symbols of the MCOT based on the MCOT structure. Thewireless device may skip PDCCH monitoring on some slots based on theMCOT structure.

FIGS. 21A-21C illustrate examples of MCOT structure indicationtransmissions in PDCCH in accordance with embodiments of the presentdisclosure. In an example, as shown in FIG. 21A, a gNB may transmit aDCI with an MCOT structure indication at the beginning of a MCOT. Thewireless device may skip the PDCCH monitoring for the following slotsafter obtaining the MCOT structure at the beginning the MCOT. In anexample, as shown in FIG. 21B, the gNB may transmit a DCI with an MCOTstructure indication at multiple positions of the MCOT. For example, asshown in FIG. 21B, the gNB may transmit the DCI with the MCOT structureindication in each slot of the MCOT. In an example, the multiplepositions at which the MCOT structure indication being transmitted inthe MCOT may comprise multiple frequency domain positions and/ormultiple time domain positions (e.g., in different sub-bands orbandwidth parts and in different time slots). In an example, as shown inFIG. 21C, the gNB may transmit a DCI with an MCOT structure indicationin accordance with a configured periodicity during the MCOT. Theperiodicity length and offset may be configured to the wireless deviceby the gNB via an RRC message.

According to various embodiments, a device such as, for example, awireless device, off-network wireless device, a base station, and/or thelike, may comprise one or more processors and memory. The memory maystore instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors,cause the device to perform a series of actions. Embodiments of exampleactions are illustrated in the accompanying figures and specification.Features from various embodiments may be combined to create yet furtherembodiments.

FIG. 24 is a flow diagram as per an aspect of an example embodiment ofthe present disclosure. At 2410, a wireless device receives one or moremessages from a base station. The one or more messages may compriseconfiguration parameters of a cell. The configuration parameters mayindicate an index of a field in a downlink control information (DCI) forthe cell. At 2420, the DCI indicating a slot format combination may bereceived. At 2430, a determination may be made, for the cell, of a COTstructure based on the slot format combination indicated by the field inthe DCI associated with the index. At 2440, a transport block may betransmitted, via the cell, on uplink resources according to the COTstructure.

FIG. 25 is a flow diagram as per an aspect of an example embodiment ofthe present disclosure. At 2510, a base station may transmit one or moremessages to a wireless device. The one or more messages may compriseconfiguration parameters of a cell. The configuration parameters mayindicate an index of a field in a downlink control information (DCI) forthe cell. At 2520, the DCI indicating a slot format combination may betransmitted. At 2530, a transport block may be received, via the cell,on uplink resources according to the COT structure. The COT structuremay be based on the slot format combination indicated by the field inthe DCI associated with the index.

According to an example embodiment, a wireless device may receive one ormore messages from a base station. The one or more messages may compriseconfiguration parameters of a cell. The configuration parameters mayindicate a plurality of slot format combinations of the cell. Theconfiguration parameters may indicate a channel occupancy time (COT)radio network temporary identifier (RNTI). The configuration parametersmay indicate an index of a field in a downlink control information (DCI)for the cell. The DCI, scrambled by the COT-RNTI, may be received. A COTstructure for the cell may be determined based on one of the pluralityof slot format combinations indicated by the field in the DCI associatedwith the index. A transport block may be transmitted, via the cell, onuplink resources according to the COT structure.

According to an example embodiment, the receiving the DCI scrambled bythe COT-RNTI may comprise receiving the DCI at the beginning of the COT.According to an example embodiment, the receiving the DCI scrambled bythe COT-RNTI may comprise receiving the DCI at multiple positions of theCOT. According to an example embodiment, the multiple positions of theCOT may comprise multiple time domain positions in the COT. The multiplepositions of the COT may comprise multiple frequency domain positions inthe COT. According to an example embodiment, the receiving the DCIscrambled by the COT-RNTI may comprise receiving the DCI based on aconfigured periodicity by the base station. According to an exampleembodiment, the receiving the DCI scrambled by the COT-RNTI may comprisemonitoring physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) indicating the COTstructure. The receiving the DCI scrambled by the COT-RNTI may comprisedecoding the PDCCH with a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) scrambled by theCOT-RNTI. According to an example embodiment, the determining the COTstructure may comprise determining a slot format for each slot of theCOT based on the DCI. According to an example embodiment, thetransmitting the transport block may comprise transmitting the transportblock via a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH). According to anexample embodiment, downlink transport blocks may be received via aphysical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) based on the COT structure.According to an example embodiment, a length of a slot formatcombination, of the plurality of slot format combinations, in the timedomain is equal to or larger than a length of the COT. According to anexample embodiment, the DCI may be transmitted via a group common PDCCH.According to an example embodiment, the index of the field in the DCIfor the cell may indicate a position of the field in the DCI for thecell. According to an example embodiment, the DCI may comprise aplurality of fields. Each field of the plurality of fields may beassociated with a cell. According to an example embodiment, the COT-RNTImay comprise a value configured by the base station. According to anexample embodiment, each of the plurality of slot format combinationsmay comprise one or more slot formats for a plurality of slots.According to an example embodiment, one or more of the one or more slotformats for the plurality of slots may be the same. According to anexample embodiment, two or more of the slot formats for the plurality ofslots may be different. According to an example embodiment, theplurality of slots may comprise one or more mini-slots or slots. Each ofthe mini-slots may comprise a less number of orthogonal frequencydivision multiplexing (OFDM) symbols than that of a slot. According toan example embodiment, the COT may comprise a maximum COT (MCOT).According to an example embodiment, a listen-before-talk procedure maybe performed based on the COT structure before the transmitting thetransport block.

According to an example embodiment, a wireless device may comprise oneor more processors. The wireless device may comprise memory storinginstructions. The wireless device may receive one or more messages froma base station, comprising configuration parameters of a cell. Theconfiguration parameters may indicate a plurality of slot formatcombinations of the cell. The configuration parameters may indicate achannel occupancy time (COT) radio network temporary identifier (RNTI).The configuration parameters may indicate an index of a field in adownlink control information (DCI) for the cell. The DCI scrambled bythe COT-RNTI may be received. A COT structure for the cell may bedetermined based on one of the plurality of slot format combinationsindicated by the field in the DCI associated with the index. A transportblock may be transmitted on uplink resources according to the COTstructure via the cell.

According to an example embodiment, a base station may comprise one ormore processors. The base station may comprise memory storinginstructions. The base station may transmit one or more messages, to awireless device, comprising configuration parameters of a cell. Theconfiguration parameters may indicate a plurality of slot formatcombinations of the cell. The configuration parameters may indicate achannel occupancy time (COT) radio network temporary identifier (RNTI).The configuration parameters may indicate an index of a field in adownlink control information (DCI) for the cell. According to an exampleembodiment, a transport block may be received, via the cell, on uplinkresources according to a COT structure for the cell. The COT structuremay be based on one of the plurality of slot format combinationsindicated by the field in the DCI associated with the index.

According to an example embodiment, a wireless device may receive one ormore messages, from a base station, comprising configuration parametersof a cell. The configuration parameters may indicate a plurality of slotformat combinations of the cell. The configuration parameters mayindicate an index of a field in a downlink control information (DCI) forthe cell. The DCI indicating one of the plurality of slot formatcombinations may be received. According to an example embodiment, a COTstructure for the cell may be determined based on one of the pluralityof slot format combinations indicated by the field in the DCI associatedwith the index. According to an example embodiment, a transport blockmay be transmitted, via the cell, on uplink resources according to theCOT structure.

According to an example embodiment, a base station may transmit one ormore messages, to a wireless device, comprising configuration parametersof a cell. The configuration parameters may indicate a plurality of slotformat combinations of the cell. The configuration parameters mayindicate an index of a field in a downlink control information (DCI) forthe cell. The DCI indicating one of the plurality of slot formatcombinations may be transmitted. According to an example embodiment, atransport block may be received, via the cell, on uplink resourcesaccording to a COT structure. The COT structure may be based on the oneof the plurality of slot format combinations indicated by the field inthe DCI associated with the index.

According to an example embodiment, a wireless device may receive one ormore messages from a base station, comprising configuration parametersof a cell. The configuration parameters may indicate a plurality of slotformat combinations of the cell. The configuration parameters mayindicate a channel occupancy time (COT) radio network temporaryidentifier (RNTI). The configuration parameters may indicate an index ofa first field in a downlink control information (DCI) for the cell. TheDCI scrambled by the COT-RNTI may be received. The DCI may comprise asecond field indicating whether the first field comprises a slot formatindication or a COT structure. The COT structure for the cell may bedetermined based on the second field and one of the plurality of slotformat combinations indicated by the first field in the DCI associatedwith the index. According to an example embodiment, a transport blockmay be transmitted, via the cell, on uplink resources according to theCOT structure.

According to an example embodiment, a base station may transmit one ormore messages, to a wireless device, comprising configuration parametersof a cell. The configuration parameters may indicate a plurality of slotformat combinations of the cell. The configuration parameters mayindicate a channel occupancy time (COT) radio network temporaryidentifier (RNTI). The configuration parameters may indicate an index ofa first field in a downlink control information (DCI) for the cell. TheDCI scrambled by the COT-RNTI may be transmitted. The DCI may comprise asecond field indicating whether the first field comprises a slot formatindication or a COT structure. According to an example embodiment, atransport block may be received, via the cell, on uplink resourcesaccording to the COT structure. The COT structure for the cell may bebased on the second field and one of the plurality of slot formatcombinations indicated by the first field in the DCI associated with theindex.

According to an example embodiment, a wireless device may receive one ormore messages, from a base station, comprising configuration parametersof a cell. The configuration parameters may indicate a plurality of slotformat combinations of the cell. The configuration parameters mayindicate a channel occupancy time (COT) radio network temporaryidentifier (RNTI). The configuration parameters may indicate an index ofa field in a downlink control information (DCI) for the cell. Accordingto an example embodiment, a preamble may be received. The DCI scrambledby the COT-RNTI may be received. According to an example embodiment, aCOT structure for the cell may be determined based on the preamble andone of the plurality of slot format combinations indicated by the fieldin the DCI associated with the index. According to an exampleembodiment, a transport block may be transmitted, via the cell, onuplink resources according to the COT structure.

According to an example embodiment, a base station may transmit one ormore messages, to a wireless device, comprising configuration parametersof a cell. The configuration parameters may indicate a plurality of slotformat combinations of the cell. The configuration parameters mayindicate a channel occupancy time (COT) radio network temporaryidentifier (RNTI). The configuration parameters may indicate an index ofa field in a downlink control information (DCI) for the cell. A preamblemay be transmitted. The DCI scrambled by the COT-RNTI may betransmitted. A transport block may be received, via the cell, on uplinkresources according to a COT structure. The COT structure may be basedon the preamble and one of the plurality of slot format combinationsindicated by the field in the DCI associated with the index.

Embodiments may be configured to operate as needed. The disclosedmechanism may be performed when certain criteria are met, for example,in a wireless device, a base station, a radio environment, a network, acombination of the above, and/or the like. Example criteria may bebased, at least in part, on for example, wireless device or network nodeconfigurations, traffic load, initial system set up, packet sizes,traffic characteristics, a combination of the above, and/or the like.When the one or more criteria are met, various example embodiments maybe applied. Therefore, it may be possible to implement exampleembodiments that selectively implement disclosed protocols.

A base station may communicate with a mix of wireless devices. Wirelessdevices and/or base stations may support multiple technologies, and/ormultiple releases of the same technology. Wireless devices may have somespecific capability(ies) depending on wireless device category and/orcapability(ies). A base station may comprise multiple sectors. When thisdisclosure refers to a base station communicating with a plurality ofwireless devices, this disclosure may refer to a subset of the totalwireless devices in a coverage area. This disclosure may refer to, forexample, a plurality of wireless devices of a given LTE or 5G releasewith a given capability and in a given sector of the base station. Theplurality of wireless devices in this disclosure may refer to a selectedplurality of wireless devices, and/or a subset of total wireless devicesin a coverage area which perform according to disclosed methods, and/orthe like. There may be a plurality of base stations or a plurality ofwireless devices in a coverage area that may not comply with thedisclosed methods, for example, because those wireless devices or basestations perform based on older releases of LTE or 5G technology.

In this disclosure, “a” and “an” and similar phrases are to beinterpreted as “at least one” and “one or more.” Similarly, any termthat ends with the suffix “(s)” is to be interpreted as “at least one”and “one or more.” In this disclosure, the term “may” is to beinterpreted as “may, for example.” In other words, the term “may” isindicative that the phrase following the term “may” is an example of oneof a multitude of suitable possibilities that may, or may not, beemployed to one or more of the various embodiments.

If A and B are sets and every element of A is also an element of B, A iscalled a subset of B. In this specification, only non-empty sets andsubsets are considered. For example, possible subsets of B={cell1,cell2} are: {cell1}, {cell2}, and {cell1, cell2}. The phrase “based on”(or equally “based at least on”) is indicative that the phrase followingthe term “based on” is an example of one of a multitude of suitablepossibilities that may, or may not, be employed to one or more of thevarious embodiments. The phrase “in response to” (or equally “inresponse at least to”) is indicative that the phrase following thephrase “in response to” is an example of one of a multitude of suitablepossibilities that may, or may not, be employed to one or more of thevarious embodiments. The phrase “depending on” (or equally “depending atleast to”) is indicative that the phrase following the phrase “dependingon” is an example of one of a multitude of suitable possibilities thatmay, or may not, be employed to one or more of the various embodiments.The phrase “employing/using” (or equally “employing/using at least”) isindicative that the phrase following the phrase “employing/using” is anexample of one of a multitude of suitable possibilities that may, or maynot, be employed to one or more of the various embodiments.

The term configured may relate to the capacity of a device whether thedevice is in an operational or non-operational state. Configured mayalso refer to specific settings in a device that effect the operationalcharacteristics of the device whether the device is in an operational ornon-operational state. In other words, the hardware, software, firmware,registers, memory values, and/or the like may be “configured” within adevice, whether the device is in an operational or nonoperational state,to provide the device with specific characteristics. Terms such as “acontrol message to cause in a device” may mean that a control messagehas parameters that may be used to configure specific characteristics ormay be used to implement certain actions in the device, whether thedevice is in an operational or non-operational state

In this disclosure, various embodiments are disclosed. Limitations,features, and/or elements from the disclosed example embodiments may becombined to create further embodiments within the scope of thedisclosure.

In this disclosure, parameters (or equally called, fields, orInformation elements: IEs) may comprise one or more information objects,and an information object may comprise one or more other objects. Forexample, if parameter (IE) N comprises parameter (IE) M, and parameter(IE) M comprises parameter (IE) K, and parameter (IE) K comprisesparameter (information element) J. Then, for example, N comprises K, andN comprises J. In an example embodiment, when one or more (or at leastone) message(s) comprise a plurality of parameters, it implies that aparameter in the plurality of parameters is in at least one of the oneor more messages, but does not have to be in each of the one or moremessages. In an example embodiment, when one or more (or at least one)message(s) indicate a value, event and/or condition, it implies that thevalue, event and/or condition is indicated by at least one of the one ormore messages, but does not have to be indicated by each of the one ormore messages.

Furthermore, many features presented above are described as beingoptional through the use of “may” or the use of parentheses. For thesake of brevity and legibility, the present disclosure does notexplicitly recite each and every permutation that may be obtained bychoosing from the set of optional features. However, the presentdisclosure is to be interpreted as explicitly disclosing all suchpermutations. For example, a system described as having three optionalfeatures may be embodied in seven different ways, namely with just oneof the three possible features, with any two of the three possiblefeatures or with all three of the three possible features.

Many of the elements described in the disclosed embodiments may beimplemented as modules. A module is defined here as an element thatperforms a defined function and has a defined interface to otherelements. The modules described in this disclosure may be implemented inhardware, software in combination with hardware, firmware, wetware (i.e.hardware with a biological element) or a combination thereof, all ofwhich may be behaviorally equivalent. For example, modules may beimplemented as a software routine written in a computer languageconfigured to be executed by a hardware machine (such as C, C++,Fortran, Java, Basic, Matlab or the like) or a modeling/simulationprogram such as Simulink, Stateflow, GNU Octave, or LabVIEWMathScript.Additionally, it may be possible to implement modules using physicalhardware that incorporates discrete or programmable analog, digitaland/or quantum hardware. Examples of programmable hardware comprise:computers, microcontrollers, microprocessors, application-specificintegrated circuits (ASICs); field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs); andcomplex programmable logic devices (CPLDs). Computers, microcontrollersand microprocessors are programmed using languages such as assembly, C,C++ or the like. FPGAs, ASICs and CPLDs are often programmed usinghardware description languages (HDL) such as VHSIC hardware descriptionlanguage (VHDL) or Verilog that configure connections between internalhardware modules with lesser functionality on a programmable device. Theabove mentioned technologies are often used in combination to achievethe result of a functional module.

The disclosure of this patent document incorporates material which issubject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection tothe facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or thepatent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Officepatent file or records, for the limited purposes required by law, butotherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.

While various embodiments have been described above, it should beunderstood that they have been presented by way of example, and notlimitation. It will be apparent to persons skilled in the relevantart(s) that various changes in form and detail can be made thereinwithout departing from the scope. In fact, after reading the abovedescription, it will be apparent to one skilled in the relevant art(s)how to implement alternative embodiments. Thus, the present embodimentsshould not be limited by any of the above described exemplaryembodiments.

In addition, it should be understood that any figures which highlightthe functionality and advantages, are presented for example purposesonly. The disclosed architecture is sufficiently flexible andconfigurable, such that it may be utilized in ways other than thatshown. For example, the actions listed in any flowchart may bere-ordered or only optionally used in some embodiments.

Further, the purpose of the Abstract of the Disclosure is to enable theU.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, andespecially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art whoare not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determinequickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of thetechnical disclosure of the application. The Abstract of the Disclosureis not intended to be limiting as to the scope in any way.

Finally, it is the applicant's intent that only claims that include theexpress language “means for” or “step for” be interpreted under 35U.S.C. 112. Claims that do not expressly include the phrase “means for”or “step for” are not to be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method comprising: receiving, by a wirelessdevice, configuration parameters indicating: a plurality of a channeloccupancy time (COT) parameters of a COT of a cell; and a positionparameter for the COT of the cell; receiving a downlink controlinformation (DCI) comprising a plurality of fields, wherein: theposition parameter indicates a position of a field, of the plurality offields; and the field indicates a COT parameter, of the plurality of COTparameters; and transmitting a transport block via uplink resources ofthe COT with the COT parameter.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein theCOT parameter indicates a length of the COT in terms of symbols.
 3. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the COT parameter indicates a slot formatcombination.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein a length of the slotformat combination in a time domain is equal to a length of the COT interms of symbols.
 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the symbols areorthogonal frequency division multiplexing symbols.
 6. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the plurality of COT parameters comprises a pluralityof slot format combinations.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the COTparameter indicates a structure of the COT.
 8. The method of claim 1,wherein: the configuration parameters further indicate a slot formatindicator-radio network temporary identifier (SFI-RNTI); and the DCI isscrambled with the SFI-RNTI.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein thereceiving the DCI comprises receiving the DCI at a beginning of the COT.10. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the DCI comprisesreceiving the DCI at: multiple time domain positions in the COT; ormultiple frequency domain positions in the COT.
 11. A wireless devicecomprising: one or more processors; and memory storing instructionsthat, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the wirelessdevice to: receive configuration parameters indicating: a plurality of achannel occupancy time (COT) parameters of a COT of a cell; and aposition parameter for the COT of the cell; receive a downlink controlinformation (DCI) comprising a plurality of fields, wherein: theposition parameter indicates a position of a field, of the plurality offields; and the field indicates a COT parameter, of the plurality of COTparameters; and transmit a transport block via uplink resources of theCOT with the COT parameter.
 12. The wireless device of claim 11, whereinthe COT parameter indicates a length of the COT in terms of symbols. 13.The wireless device of claim 11, wherein the COT parameter indicates aslot format combination.
 14. The wireless device of claim 13, wherein alength of the slot format combination in a time domain is equal to alength of the COT in terms of symbols.
 15. The wireless device of claim14, wherein the symbols are orthogonal frequency division multiplexingsymbols.
 16. The wireless device of claim 11, wherein the plurality ofCOT parameters comprises a plurality of slot format combinations. 17.The wireless device of claim 11, wherein the COT parameter indicates astructure of the COT.
 18. The wireless device of claim 11, wherein: theconfiguration parameters further indicate a slot format indicator-radionetwork temporary identifier (SFI-RNTI); and the DCI is scrambled withthe SFI-RNTI.
 19. The wireless device of claim 11, wherein the DCI isreceived at a beginning of the COT.
 20. A system comprising: a basestation comprising: one or more first processors; and first memorystoring first instructions that, when executed by the one or more firstprocessors of the base station, cause the base station to: transmitconfiguration parameters indicating: a plurality of a channel occupancytime (COT) parameters of a COT of a cell; and a position parameter forthe COT of the cell; and transmit a downlink control information (DCI)comprising a plurality of fields, wherein: the position parameterindicates a position of a field, of the plurality of fields; and thefield indicates a COT parameter, of the plurality of COT parameters; anda wireless device comprising: one or more second processors; and secondmemory storing second instructions that, when executed by the one ormore second processors of the wireless device, cause the wireless deviceto: receive the configuration parameters; receive the DCI; and transmita transport block via uplink resources of the COT with the COTparameter.